


A Rose's Thorns

by Just_One_Of_Clockwork_Thoughts



Category: RWBY
Genre: Adam is nicer than canon, Chessmaster Ruby, F/F, F/M, Gen, Genderfluid Characters, Homosexual characters, M/M, Ruby Rose is a Faunus, Ruby is also part of the White Fang, So is Yang, So many other tags to be added, Transgender Characters, so many of those
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-04
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2018-05-24 14:32:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 24
Words: 52,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6156667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Just_One_Of_Clockwork_Thoughts/pseuds/Just_One_Of_Clockwork_Thoughts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On the outside, Ruby Rose is a quiet yet hyperactive and quirky girl, the sort mostly found in the corners of bookstores and coffee shops.<br/>In reality, things almost couldn't be farther from the truth. A bouncy facade hides the mind of an assassin, a chessmistresses's mind. In truth, she is Lady Ashes, second in command of the terrorist organization known as the White Fang, and the leader of its mysterious Thorns group. And now, she is a student at Beacon Academy, trying to balance a social life, a school life, and the life of a terrorist leader.<br/>Life is about to get even more dangerous than before, and very interesting.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Interesting We Should Meet Again Like This

**Author's Note:**

> This was just something I had floating around in my mind. Enjoy.

“Are you… robbing me?” Ruby asked, incredulously. She couldn’t believe the man’s stupidity at first, then caught herself, and realized again that she was not wearing her mask.  _ Oh, well. _

“Yes!” The man in black replied. She recognized him then, he was one of Junior’s goons. And he had failed to recognize her, even with her mask off. All of Junior’s men should recognize her. After all, she had assisted her sister in wrecking Junior’s Nightclub, and beating the hell out of every one of his men, the Malachite Twins and Junior himself included.

“Oh.”  She smiled, and threw him across the store.

The man slid to a halt less than a foot from the front wall of the store.

Two of the other mobsters noticed, and ran up to her, drawing guns as they did so. One pointed his gun at her.

“Freeze!”

He tried to follow that with something else, but talking became rather difficult when Ruby slammed her shoulder into his gut at half the speed of sound, sending him flying through the glass front wall of the shop, and she followed him through. She landed on her feet, her left hand on Crescent Rose. She drew the weapon off of her lower back, feeling the metal slide from a rectangular box into a massive scythe-sniper rifle hybrid. She spun the weapon a few times, letting the components slide and click into place, before smashing the blade into the ground, pointed at the men in the shop, including a man in a white jacket, who she presumed was the leader. 

She clicked off the music playing in her headphones, but left them on. Underneath the metal and plastic, her canine set of ears heard the lead man’s first words to his men.

“Okay…” He turned to the others. “Get her!”

The men charged, blades raised. She spun herself on top of Crescent Rose, kicking the first man in the face, knocking him to the ground from the Aura-charged blow. She caught a second with the back of her heel, sending him sprawling as well. Ruby flipped off of Crescent Rose, the side of her foot colliding with a third man's head, causing him to fall. She yanked Crescent Rose out of the road with the same fluid motion as she landed, bringing the scythe-sniper up in an attack position, not wasting a moment as she went on the offensive again.

_ The best defence is a good offence.  _ The words rang in her mind, as they did every fight. The man who had first told her them was her first teacher in the art of combat, long before she had ever gone to a school for battle, years before Signal Academy. She still learned from him, when they met. Which they did, frequently.

Ruby ducked under a sword as one of the mobsters she hadn't taken out of the fight took a swing at her. The attack was overeager, and his swing far too wide, giving Ruby a massive opening. She took it, snapping Crescent Rose’s blade up into his chin. The man's Aura blocked the blow, but depleted. Her next hit was with the flat of the blade, sending him flying into another mobster, knocking them both out.

The last man tried to raise his sword to defend himself. Ruby didn't let him, slamming the scythe-sniper into his chest, channeling her Aura into the weapon and the blow. The mobster went flying, head over heels, landing next to the man in white. Now Ruby recognized the man. After all, they had met several times, even recently. Roman Torchwick, the man Neopolitan lived with, and was fond of.

Her canine ears perked slightly under their headphone coverings. Roman was talking.

“Well, you were worth every cent, truly, you were.” This bit of snark directed at the now-unconscious man at his feet. Then he turned to her, dropping the cigar from his mouth as he did so.

“Well, Red, I think it's been an eventful evening, but I'm afraid, this is where we part ways.” With that, Roman snapped his cane up, pointed at her like a gun. It was, of course. He had showed her, the first time they had met. 

The end cap off the cane popped up, forming a crude sight. He triggered a round at her, one effortlessly dodged by a brief activation of her semblance.

Roman had tried to use this time, however brief it was, to flee, up to the roof of a nearby building. Ruby was one step ahead of him, however. Her semblance let her move in any direction. Straight up included. Without hesitating, she shot up the side of the building Roman had climbed. 

Again, she heard his words with her faunus hearing.

“Persistent little…” he trailed off. Abruptly, Ruby heard a roaring noise.  _ Tiltjet. _ Her mind said, seconds before one rose up in front of Roman.

He leaped aboard, and turned, holding something in his hand. A Fire Dust crystal. 

“End of the line, Red!” He threw it, the crystal landing at her feet. In the same motion, he raised his cane-gun.  _ Melodic Cudgel, I think. _ Her mind went to the weapon’s name, despite the circumstances.

Roman fired. In the same instant, someone dropped to the ground in front of Ruby.

The Fire Dust detonated from the explosive round, only for the explosion to be blocked by a glowing purple shield-like sigil, floating in midair.

Ruby heard Roman laughing, but his laughter died down as he noticed the sigil. Ruby herself was more preoccupied with the young woman in front of her. Blond hair ran down her back, ending a short way above her short skirt. She wore high-heeled boots over stockings, a white blazer over a thin white undershirt. A short riding crop was clenched in her right hand.

She recognized the woman; Glynda Goodwitch, a teacher at Beacon Academy, and a Huntress of a skill level that even Ruby didn’t want to fight her. Well, not without her Thorns, her Teacher/Surrogate Elder Brother, or Fall.

Glynda stood, snapping her riding crop up and to her side.

Roman scowled, and disappeared into the cockpit of the VTOL. Ruby still heard his voice, even without her faunus hearing. 

“We’ve got a huntress!”

A young woman walked out of the cockpit of the VTOL into its bay. She wore a red dress, with glassy high-heels, and an anklet on her right ankle. Her orange eyes glowed in the shadows that masked her face.

It took all of Ruby's self-control to avoid gasping in shock. She recognized the woman.  _ Cinder Fall!? What's SHE doing here!? _

Ruby almost panicked, only stopping when she realized that would simply make everything worse.  _ Focus, Ruby. She won't knowingly hurt you. But she will Glynda. _

Ruby rapidly recalculated the situation. She couldn't let Glynda fight Fall for too long. And she couldn't let Glynda know she was in league with Fall.

Ruby came to one conclusion. She had to try and fight Fall, and explain later.

Ruby slipped Crescent Rose into rifle mode, and sighted on Fall. She had practiced to the extent she instinctively knew where her shots would land, and her accuracy did not fail her as she opened fire on Fall. 

Fall blocked her shots with her bare hand, her Maiden’s power letting her do so. Glynda looked back in surprise. Ruby knew Fall would see an opening, and take it. And she did, for the moment Glynda’s back was turned, she cast out her powers, and glowing ovals appeared on the ground. Ruby had seen this before, and knew what was about to happen. She activated her semblance for the second time that night, and shot out of the way, moving again at a speed so fast she wasn't even visible as she moved.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Glynda flip out of the way, seconds before a series of explosions rocked the night. Ruby glanced back at the VTOL, and watched as the door closed and the jet took off, vanishing from sight quickly.

Ruby looked back at Glynda, and rapidly tried to assemble herself back into her civilian persona.

“You’re a huntress…” Glynda turned back to her, annoyance and slight anger visible on her face. Ruby pulled her cloak around herself again, and forced her eyes open wide, as if in awe. When she spoke next, she made her voice shake slightly, as if she were having a hard time containing excitement.

“Can I have your autograph?”

...

…

“Just what do you think you were doing?” Glynda was, to sum it up in a single word, pissed. Thought she spoke at a normal volume, anger was distinct in her tone.

_ Fighting, what else?  _ Ruby's mind went, but she didn't say that aloud. Snarking at the person who helped control admissions into Beacon Academy wouldn't help her already-damaged chances of getting in. And wouldn't fit the persona she had been using so far. 

“They started it!” She insisted instead, with a mask of indignation over her annoyance.

“Irrelevant. You caused quite a bit of property damage in that fight, damage they didn't.”

Glynda sighed and shook her head, pacing back and forth in front of Ruby, who was seated at a low table. A single light on the ceiling made Ruby think of a stereotypical police interrogation room.

“Still, all save the leader and that woman with him are in police custody thanks to you. If it were up to me, you'd be sent home with a pat on the back…”

Glynda stopped, and turned to like at Ruby, pausing for a few seconds.

_ And a slap on the wrist.  _ Ruby thought, knowing Glynda was going to keep scolding her. 

“And a slap on the wrist!” With that, she slapped her riding crop onto the table. Ruby moved her wrist just in time to avoid getting hit. Glynda sighed again.

“Still, there's someone here who wants to meet you.”

A man entered the room just then. In his right hand, he held a plate of cookies, in his left, a coffee mug and a cane. He slid the plate in front of Ruby, and sat down in front of her.

Ruby grabbed a cookie off the plate, and began eating. As she did, she examined the man. He mainly wore black, his green shirt under the black vest and waistcoat bring the only color in his outfit apart from a small green gem in a black metal clasp on said green shirt. His face looked a mix between a young adult, and a man older than the world. Silver hair framed his face, as if drawing attention to it, but his eyes were hidden behind small sunglasses. She recognized the man, but she knew he may not her.

_ Hello, Professor Ozpin. Interesting we should meet again like this.  _ Ruby wanted to say, but didn't. Glynda was still in the room, and she didn't want to tip Ozpin off on who she really was.

Ozpin leaned over the table, tilting his head forward, letting Ruby see his green eyes over the tops of his sunglasses. 

“You… have silver eyes. “ Ozpin said after a few seconds. Ruby knew what he was hinting at, but didn't let it show, instead mimicking confusion at his words.  _ That's just an old legend, Oz. _

Ozpin straightened up. 

“So, where did you learn to do this?” He asked, gesturing to Glynda, who had her scroll open and playing video. It was security camera footage of earlier that night. Ruby watched herself deal with the mobsters in short order.

“Who taught you this?” Ozpin asked.

“I learned at Signal Academy.” She replied, a cookie almost in her mouth.

“They taught you to use one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed?”

“Well, one teacher in particular.”

Ozpin leaned back in his chair.

“I've only met one other scythe wielder of that skill… A dusty old crow…”

Ruby glanced up from the plate at that, still trying to play innocent teenager. She mumbled something through a cookie, swallowed, and started to speak.

“That's my uncle, Qrow. He taught me to use my weapon's scythe form.”

Ozpin looked down at his scroll.

“High marks in school, prodigious level of combat skill…”

“Yeah. Like I said, my uncle trained me.”

“Indeed.” Ozpin leaned forward. “Do you know who I am?” He asked.

“You're Professor Ozpin, the headmaster of Beacon Academy.”

Ozpin consulted his scroll again.

“You want to come to my school?” He glanced up, green meeting silver.

“Yes!” Bouncing a little in her seat, Ruby replied. “Beacon Academy is where I've always wanted to go!” She calmed down a bit, and continued. “I've always wanted to be a huntress. Protecting, helping, saving people…” She shrugged.

Ozpin looked back at Glynda, who sighed, and looked at Ozpin with an expression best described as resignation.

Ozpin turned back to Ruby, who was, for a change, feeling the same as she showed, tense and excited, but trying to not get her hopes up. 

“Okay.” Was all Ozpin said.

…

…

“Ooh, I can't believe my little sister is going to Beacon with me!”

Yang picked up Ruby in a massive bear hug, squeezing the younger girl into her shoulder.

“Yang, stop.” Ruby's voice was strained, a consequence of the pressure of Yang's arms around her.

Yang let go, and bounced on her heels a bit.

“Aren't you happy?” She asked Ruby.

“I am, it's just… I got moved ahead two years. I don't want anyone thinking that I'm special or something.” Ruby replied, trying to conceal the real reason for her unease. She was terrified one of the people she had seen when she boarded the airship would recognize her.

“But you are special.” Yang said, and ruffled her hair. Ruby stumbled backwards a bit, stopping a few feet from Yang.

“Don't do that. “ Ruby's voice hit annoyed. Yang had almost knocked off Ruby's headphones. She wore them everywhere, in an attempt to conceal her faunus traits, the wolf ears upon her head.

“Sorry, sis, just…” Yang trailed off and bounded forward a bit. “I'm just so happy!”

She grinned, revealing larger than normal canine teeth. Of course, the wolf ears on her head would have tipped off anyone looking before that did.

Both of the sisters were wolf faunus, but their approaches to this fact differed. Yang was proud, and even flaunted her heritage. Ruby, by contrast, tried to conceal or downplay it. The reason for this was playing on the screen behind her. 

The holographic screen was tuned to the news, a segment about something that always set Ruby on edge.

“-when the White Fang disrupted the protest. This marks six times in the last two months the White Fang have hijacked peaceful protests. The protest was, however, prevented from turning violent by the arrival of the Thorns, a White Fang affiliated group that nevertheless seems to have it's own goals and motives, as evidenced by their recruitment of both humans and faunus.”

The remainder of the news segment was thankfully disrupted by the holographic screen suddenly showing Glynda Goodwitch, who promptly introduced herself to the students.

Ruby wasn't paying attention to get, however. She was more focused on what the news had said. 

_ Another protest disrupted, almost turned violent. Really Adam? I've told you to stop that. And you said you would. I guess I'll have one of my Thorns speak with you. _

She began to wonder which she could ask to speak with him, when another thought occurred to her.

_ Or did you not know, and only learned from my Thorns? That is far more likely. Still, irrelevant. It still happened. Regardless, I should learn which Thorns those were. I need more like them. Maybe… _

She glanced at Yang, who hadn't noticed the look on the younger girl's face. No, she couldn't ask Yang. She'd never join the White Fang, even the Thorns.

Ruby remembered why, and she had taken her sister's words to heart. She didn't agree, but she wouldn't blame her sister for it.

A metallic thud jarred Ruby from her thoughts. 

The airship had arrived.

  
{End Chapter 1}


	2. And Lady Shadow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's Chapter 2. I know it's a bit short, but please enjoy!

As Ruby exited the airship, behind everyone else, the first thing she noticed was a young man throwing up in a trash bin next to the airship door. Initially, she wouldn’t have noticed the boy, but something about him was familiar. She shook her head to clear the thought, and looked about. 

Beacon Academy’s campus stretched out in front of her, larger than any one place she had been before, save possibly Haven Academy. 

“Wow…” Yang spoke up from beside Ruby. “The view from Vale’s got nothing on this. Well, welcome to Beacon.”

She turned to Ruby, grinning widely.

“So, gonna go make since new friends?” Yang asked her sister. Ruby ignored her, being far too focused on the students nearby. Specifically, their weapons. Normally, she would have started to bounce about, but here, no one knew her, so she didn't have to show the things she felt, nor exaggerate her reactions.

“Sis?” Yang tapped her on the shoulder.

Ruby glanced over at her.

“Yes?”

“Why don't you try to go and make some friends?” Yang looked at Ruby, her expression a portrait of awkwardness.

_ Why would I want to? I have you, my Thorns, Adam, and Fall. I have all I need. Or want, for that matter. _ But she didn't say that aloud. At least, not all of it.

“Why would I do that, I have you, after all.” She replied, giving a timid grin.

“Actually…” Yang hesitated, glancing off to the side. “All my friends are here now, bye!” And with that, Yang sprinted off, joining a small group of people off to the side, and all of whom waited for Yang, and then took no time sprinting off towards the main hall.

_ Really, Yang?  _ Ruby suppressed a sigh.  _ Oh, well. _

She turned around, intending to investigate the boy from the airship, but instead encountered a luggage cart midway through her turn, knocking off several boxes. Glancing at them, she noticed that every one of them had the same crest on them: a stylized snowflake. Ruby knew the crest, as did all her Thorns.  _ Schnee Dust Company. Why here? _

“Hey! Watch what you’re doing!” A voice came from behind her, somewhat high-pitched, and very indignant. She knew the voice, knew it well. _ Weiss Schnee. Why are you here? _

Ruby turned, thankful she didn’t have her mask or jacket. Weiss would recognize her for sure if she did. And given that their last meeting had ended with Weiss’s sword through Ruby’s chest, she didn’t want to fight her again.

Weiss grabbed one of the boxes, opening it as she did so and inspecting the contents.

“You’re lucky this wasn’t damaged! Do you even know what this is!?” Weiss half-yelled, very indignant at the smaller girl.

_ Dust, mined from the Schnee Quarry. I know exactly what is is and how it is mined, probably better than you. _ Ruby wanted badly to say exactly what she thought, but restrained herself.  _ If I get on her bad side enough, she might start trying to figure out who I am. She’ll fail, but still. A risk I can’t have.  _ So instead she meekly replied that she did.

“Yes.” She slumped a bit, and drew herself inward, as if embarrassed.

“It’s Dust, mined from the Schnee Quarry!” Weiss seemed to not hear her, and Ruby noticed that she held a glass vial of Fire Dust Powder, the stopper partly off. With every word, she shook the vial, and with every shake, a small amount slipped out, floating in the air around Ruby’s face.

“Are you even listening to me!?” Weiss seemed to be growing more furious with every passing second. “Dust, the energy propellant, among other things!? Do you even know what I'm talking about!? If any of this sinking in!? What do you have to say for yourself!?” She demanded.

At that moment, Ruby sneezed, the Fire Dust in the air around her face producing a small explosion, that nevertheless made a small crater in the ground between her and Weiss.

“Unbelievable! This is exactly the sort of thing I was talking about!” Weiss shook an angry hand at her for emphasis, and Ruby noticed she was no longer holding the Dust vial.

Ruby shifted fully into her student persona, and drew herself inward, trying to convey embarrassment.

“I'm really, really sorry!” 

“You complete dolt! What are you even doing here, aren't you a little young to be attending Beacon!?”

Ruby tried to answer Weiss’s demanded question, but was quickly cut off.

“I-”

“This isn't your ordinary combat school!” Weiss had begun to get in Ruby's face, fury very evident on hers. “It's not all sparring and practice, you know!” She leaned away, and crossed her arms. “We’re here to fight monsters, so…” Weiss turned away from her. “Watch where you're going!”

Ruby finally got annoyed enough to speak up, ignoring the footsteps behind her.

“Hey, I said I was sorry, princess!” 

“It's heiress, actually.”

Ruby's breath caught in her throat. She knew the voice. She would know it anywhere, would never forget it as long as she lived. It was the voice of her first Thorn, the voice of the one who mattered more to her than anyone else in the world.  _ Blake Belladonna. Lady Shadow.  _

She turned, all her willpower devoted to trying to not react.

Blake stood behind her, close to her- _ So close. I wish Weiss weren't here- _ holding the missing Dust Vial. Her golden eyes briefly met Ruby's, and Blake's widened slightly, just enough to tell Ruby that Blake may have recognized her.

“Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. One of the largest producers of energy propellant in the world.”

Weiss grinned, snugness showing on her face. 

“Finally, some recognition.”

“The same company infamous for its controversial labor forces and questionable business partners.”

Ruby found herself grinning, amused at Blake's verbal takedown of the arrogant heiress, and said heiress’s reaction.

Weiss looked furious, her face red with anger.

“What-! How dare you! The nerve of-! Ugh!”

With that, she grabbed the Vial out of Blake's hand, and stormed off.

“I promise I'll make this up to you!” She yelled at Weiss’s retreating form, and turned to Blake, who was already across half the courtyard, moving very quickly, as if trying to escape from Ruby.

“Blake?”

Ruby slumped her shoulders, and say on the ground, before letting herself Fall backwards to end up lying on the ground.

“Welcome to Beacon.” Ruby told herself, closing her eyes, ignoring the footsteps steadily growing closer. The stopped right next to her, and she felt a shadow cross over her.

“Having a bad day, my Lady Ashes?”

Ruby's eyes snapped open, showing that the person standing over her was someone she knew.

“Hello, Lord Day. Fancy meeting you here,” she said, taking his offered hand, allowing the young man to pull her up to a standing position. “I don't know you suffered from motion sickness.”

Lord Day’s hand went behind his head, as he rubbed at his neck, mildly embarrassed at her knowledge of his aliment.

“Well, it's not something I want to be widely known…”

“I understand. Incidentally, we should not use our names as Thorns here. I've already run into the Schnee Heiress.”  _ And Lady Shadow. _

“Okay. What is your real name?” Day asked, as he glanced down the path to the main hall of Beacon.

“Ruby. Ruby Rose. I already know your name, Jaune Arc. Walk with me.” She said, and began to walk down one of the side paths leading around the Academy grounds. “We have some things to talk about.”

At this, Jaune looked nervous. 

“We do? Did I-”

Ruby shut him up with a small laugh.

“Not like that! I have no idea what had been going on in the Fang of late, and want someone to fill me in.” She paused. “Was that you, at the protest?

“No. That was Lord Flower and Lady Thunder. I saw them earlier, they're here too. Though, today it's Lady Flower.” 

Ruby glanced at him, slightly annoyed.

“I told you not to use those names where we could be overheard.” A sudden thought occurred to her.

“You don't know their real names, do you, Jaune?”

“Not a clue.” Came the admittance, embarrassing though it was. Ruby could see his face redden slightly.

“Flower’s name is Lie Ren. Thunder’s is Nora Valkyrie.” she informed him.

“Ah. Okay.”

“So, what has happened of late?” Ruby asked, deciding to avoid mentioning the incident with Roman and Fall.

“Not much. That protest is the only thing that's happened since you disappeared last. Can I ask where you've been?”

“You just did.” She pointed out, amused. “After the train robbery, Adam, Shadow and I thought we should lay low for a while. So I went home again. My sister's gotten used to my disappearing for days at a time and returning with no explanation, so that wasn't a problem.” Ruby stopped, and looked down at the small stream they had come to.

“I heard about that. Getting all of the crew members to safety and still getting all the dust must have been a pain.”

“It was.” 

Before she could say anything more, a bell chimed, very loudly.

“I think that's the cue for everyone to assemble in the main hall.” Jaune commented, and glanced over at Ruby. “Any idea how to get there from here?”

“Yes, I committed the map to memory. Follow me.” She spun on her heel, and walked off.

  
{End Chapter 2}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My writing schedule is very erratic, so I apologize for the gaps between chapter uploads. I'll try to post every 5-9 days. If you want more frequent updates on things, check my tumblr listed on my profile page, I'll try to update that every 1-2 days. As before, please let me know what you think!


	3. Damn Your Social And Observational Skills

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was done much earlier than I expected. Enjoy!

As Ruby walked into the hall, the first thing she noticed was the rather large stage occupying the center of the hall. The second was Yang, off to one side. She was on the edge of her group of friends, but didn't seem to be paying attention.

“I'll speak to you another time.” She said to Jaune, who promptly began to wander off.

“Later, Ruby.” And with that, he left, walking in the direction of a small clearing in the crowd, near a window. Ruby herself went over to Yang, assembling her student/civilian Persona as she did so.

Yang turned to Ruby, her faunus hearing apparently having helped her detect Ruby's approach.

“So, how's your first day going little sister?”

Ruby looked at her, mimicking a mixture of hurt, sad, and embarrassed.

“You mean since you ditched me and I exploded?”

Yang raised one eyebrow and grimaced slightly.

“Yikes, meltdown already?”

“No, I literally exploded a hole in front of the school, there's a crater there now!” Ruby insisted indignantly.

Yang grinned at her, obviously not believing her.

“Are you being sarcastic?”

_ No, but I wish I were. _

“I wish! I tripped over some crabby girl's luggage, and then she yelled at me, and then I sneezed, and then I exploded, and then she yelled at me again, and I felt really, really bad, and I just wanted her to stop yelling at me!” Ruby forced herself to tear up, and her voice to shake a little, as if she really were about to start crying.

“You!” Ruby heard Weiss’s voice behind her, and launched herself into Yang's arms, still behaving as if she were about to start crying.

“Oh, god, it’s happening again!”

“You're lucky we weren't blown off the side of the cliff!” Weiss half-yelled.

Yang looked at her sister, lilac eyes wide.

“My god, you really exploded.” As if her facial expression wasn't enough of a clue, her voice evidenced shock.

“It was an accident!” Ruby half-squeaked as she moved out from under Yang's right arm, where she'd buried herself into her elder sister’s side.  _ Damn it Weiss, you full well know that was not deliberate! You know that no one who could get into Beacon would be that unintelligent! _

Weiss started to speak, but Ruby cut her off.

“Look, I'll try really, really hard to make this up to you. What can I do to start?”

Weiss glared at her, then softened her expression slightly.

“You really want to start making thing up to me?” Ruby smiled, and nodded.  _ Yes, if only to avoid later conflicts.  _

“Then don't ever talk to me again.”

Yang interrupted then, looking fairly bemused.

“Hey, look, it sounds like you two just got off on the wrong foot. Why don't you start over and try to be friends, okay?” She grinned, apparently trying to help bridge the gap between the two smaller girls.

_ I may as well make the attempt. No damage in attempting to mend damaged relations. _

“Okay!” She held her hand out to the heiress. “Hi, I'm Ruby!”

“Weiss Schnee. Now leave me alone.” Weiss glared at her. Any further action was cut short by the sudden appearance of Professor Ozpin on the stage, standing in front of  a microphone. Glynda stood at his side, her regular stern expression on her face. Ozpin, however, seemed to be mildly upset, though he hid it very well.

Ozpin cleared his throat, and began to speak, his voice carefully measured, also indicating distress.

“I'll… keep this brief.”

_ What's wrong Oz? Something happen? You're never like this. _

“You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction.” 

At that, the students began to whisper among themselves. Ruby felt their confusion, but her’s was not for the same reason.  _ What has happened, Professor? This is very unusual. And that is worrying, even more so from you. _

“You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step.” Apparently finished with his speech, he stepped away from the microphone. Glynda took a step up, taking the stage with practiced ease, as Ozpin left the room. Ruby's eyes followed him, scrutinizing his every movement.

_ It's like he's not even really here… _

“You will gather in the ballroom tonight; tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed.” Glynda’s voice interrupted her thoughts. She, too, left the stage.

Yang spoke up from beside Ruby.

“He seemed… off.”

Ruby voiced her earlier thought on the matter.

“It's like he wasn't even there.”

Ruby glanced at Weiss, intending to ask her for her opinion, but stopped when she noticed where the heiress’s gaze had fallen. She was starting at Yang's ears with barely concealed distrust.  _ Great. She already hates faunus… and apparently Yang personally already… this will not end well, I suspect. _

Yang turned to Weiss, apparently feeling the eyes on her. She noticed immediately where the shorter girl was staring, and grinned, putting one hand on her hip.

“Like ‘em?” She said, her voice teasing, having evidently misread Weiss’s expression.

The other girl said nothing, just turning on her heel and walking away. Ruby glanced after her, then at her sister.

Yang shrugged.

“Guess she didn't.”

…

…

Ruby lay on her stomach, drawing in a journal on the pillow in front of her. She had originally intended to write in it, but had found she much preferred drawing. So she drew. Her current picture was of a single rose on a snowy background, surrounded by stylized wolves. She was rather proud of her artistic skills, one of her only touchstones to normalcy.

Yang crashed down beside her, an amused and excited expression on her face.

“It's like a big slumber party!” Yang was excited at the current situation, and was dressed to match her words, in a yellow tank top and black shorts. Ruby was dressed far differently, in a black turtleneck and black sweatpants. Her attire was a habit she had picked up in the White Fang and Thorns; she always wore something that if she had to wake up and leave in a very short time, would not be uncomfortable to wear out of doors.

_ Well, that's one way to think of things, Yang. _

“I'm not sure dad would approve of all the boys, though.” She replied, not looking up from her drawing.  _ Besides, I'm not one to particularly care about that. _

“I know I do!” Yang purred, a bit at odds with her wolven nature. Then she rolled over, and stuck her face right next to Ruby's.

“What's that?”

“A drawing. I've had this design in my head for a while, and I wanted to put it down in paper.”

“Cool. Looks pretty badass. So, made any friends here?”

Ruby sighed.

“Not really.”

“What about Jaune? He's... nice! There you go! Plus one friend! That's a hundred percent increase!” Yang was, as she usually did, looking on the bright side of things. It was, Ruby reflected, occasionally obnoxious.  _ But she's right about Jaune. _

Ruby rolled over onto her side to look at her sister.

“I'm pretty sure Weiss counts as a negative friend. Back to zero.” 

“There's no such things as negative friends! You just made one friend and one enemy! That's-” Ruby cut her sister off by hitting her with a pillow. Yang laughed it off and continued.

“Look, it's only been one day. Trust me, you've got friends all around you! You just haven't met them yet!” 

_ Perhaps. But I have all I need or want. _

The lights went out then, but some light stayed. Ruby glanced over, and for the second time that day, she had to stop herself from leaping to her feet. As it was, she felt her heart race.

Blake Belladonna sat leaning up against a wall, a book in her hands and a candle in a low table next to her.

“That's…” Ruby whispered. She kept her voice quiet enough that even with Yang’s faunus hearing, she could barely hear her.

“You know her?” Yang whispered back.

_ Yes. Yes I do, Yang. She’s My Lady Shadow. _

But she couldn't say that aloud, couldn't even admit she knew her.

“Not really. She saw what happened this morning, but left before I could say anything.

Yang looked at her, and grinned.

“Well, now’s your chance!

She grabbed Ruby by her arm and yanked her to her feet.

“Wait! What are you doing!? Yang! Unhand me!” She somehow managed to angrily whisper at her sister.

Yang ignored her protest, and pulled her over to where Blake sat.

“Hel-looo!” Yang said in a singsong tone. “I believe you two may know each other?”

Blake glanced up, and Ruby almost felt her heart stop as gold met silver.

“Aren’t you…” Blake cut herself off, paused for a split second, and continued, having evidently rethought her words. “...that girl that exploded?” 

_ Hello to you, too, My Lady Shadow. _

“Uh.. Yeah. My name's Ruby!” She sounded awkward, she was aware. She could see Blake reevaluate her.  _ Now she doesn't think I am who I am. Oh, well. _

“Okay.” Blake returned to reading the book she was holding.

Yang whispered to Ruby, using the same volume as before.

“What are you doing?”

Ruby dropped the awkward smile for a second to reply.

“I don't know! Help me!”

Yang turned back to Blake.

“So, what's your name?” She asked.

“Blake.” Came the reply, accompanied by a sigh.

“Well, Blake, I'm Yang, Ruby's older sister! I like your bow!”

“Thanks?” Blake looked uncertain, looking at the ears atop Yang's head. She glanced at Ruby, and Ruby could tell her eyes immediately went to her headphones.

_ Your a smart girl, Blake… You've put things together, haven't you? _

“What's it about?” Ruby suddenly asked. “Your book.”

“Well... i-it's about a man with two souls, each fighting for control over his body.” Blake looked slightly surprised, and Ruby knew it wasn't just from the question.

“Yeah, that's real lovely. “ Yang's voice was full of sarcasm. Ruby ignored her, and continued.

“I love books. Tales of heroes and monsters. Someone has to be one of the other, and that's why we're here isn't it? We've chosen to be the heroes, so we're to learn how.” The small almost-speech was close to one she had given to her Thorns once.

_ “Someone has to play the roles, so we've chosen to play both. To the people, we are monsters, hence our masks of Grimm. To those who know, we are heroes. Our deeds and even lives must be shadowed, hence our dark colors.” _

She could see Blake remember, and almost start at her words.

“Why do you think that? Are you hoping you'll live happily ever after?”

“I’m hoping we all will. I know the world's darker than that, but isn't that why we're here? To try and shine some light on it before we fall?”

Ruby smiled warmly at Blake, and for a second, Blake smiled back.

“Aww, I'm so proud of my baby sister!” Yang interrupted, hugging said sister into the air.

“Yang, cut it out!” Ruby drove her elbow into Yang's face, knowing that Yang's Aura would protect her, which it did.

Blake laughed as the two began to fight.

“Well, Ruby, Yang, it's a pleasure to ha-”

She was cut off by an angry, shrill half-scream.

“What in the world is going on over here?! Don't you realize some of us are trying to sleep?” Weiss had found them again, and she seemed to be more than slightly angry.

“Oh, not you again!” Both Yang and Weiss shouted in sync. 

Ruby tried to hush them both.

“Shh! Guys, she's right, people are trying to sleep!” She whispered, as loud as she could.

“Oh, now you're on my side!” Weiss didn't listen.

“I always was on your side!” Ruby snapped, still in a whisper.

“Yeah, what's your problem with my sister? She's only trying to be nice!” Yang, at least, had quieted down some.

_ Other than the fact we're faunus, and she doesn't trust faunus? _

“She's a hazard to my health!” Weiss still yelled.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ruby saw Blake sigh and grab the candle. She turned to face Blake, and watched as she blew it out. The room plunged into darkness, the only light source remaining were the large windows set high above the floor, high enough Ruby almost wanted to call them skylights.

Yang grabbed Weiss's shoulder, the low light not affecting her vision in the slightest.

“Here, I'll guide you back to your bedroll, if you'll tell me where it is.” Yang was offering Weiss. 

“It's over near the entrance, the blanket’s all white and the pillow is the same.” Weiss still sounded furious, but seemed to realize she couldn't find her way back in the dark.

Yang led Weiss off, and Ruby turned back to Blake, who was staring at her.

Ruby sat down next to the other girl, and leaned in close, ensuring that they couldn't be overheard.

“Hello again, my Lady Shadow.” She spoke in a voice deeper than her normal one, a voice she rarely used without her mask.

Blake froze, her golden eyes locked with Ruby's silver.

“Lady Ashes!” Her whisper was so soft that Ruby barely heard it, even with her faunus hearing, and her head almost resting on Blake's shoulder. “You're… here! I didn’t believe that… well… That you were you!”

“Of course I am here… why wouldn't I be? This is Beacon Academy, after all… and several of  my Thorns are here… you included…” She let her voice trail off.

Ruby saw Blake blush at those words. She had almost every time Ruby's attention had focused on her in the last year.

“We shouldn't let anyone here know how much we know each other.” Ruby sharpened her voice ever so slightly, as if she was giving an order. Then she changed tone again, coating her voice in velvet.

“But it's fine if we establish that we at least know who the other is…” Again, she trailed off.

Ruby spotted Yang approaching them.

“Follow my lead.” She whispered, and turned to Yang, who was almost back to them.

“Hey, Yang. Get Snow Queen back to bed safely? “ Ruby teased her sister.

“Yeah. So, what's the deal with the two of you? I know you've met before, right now you're acting too familiar to have just met today.”

_ Damn your social and observational skills! _

Ruby wasn’t too worried, however. She had an explanation that Yang wouldn't dare question.

She feigned embarrassment, and started to explain.

“Yeah... We kinda do. She’s…”

Ruby felt pressure on her arm as Blake discreetly pressed against it. She pressed back slightly, just enough to reassure Blake.

“Who?” Yang looked like she was about to haul Blake out of the room and start interrogating her.

“She’s one of the girls who helped me when…” Ruby trailed off. “When I… ran.”

“Oh.” Yang’s shoulders slumped a bit. Ruby knew her sister didn’t want to be reminded of the night she ran away.

Ruby had been about seven when it had happened. She had been caught in a counter-protest against faunus civil rights. Being a faunus herself, and caught in the middle of… that… had been traumatizing at such a young age. She had taken what was said to her to heart, and had not gone home, instead fleeing to Vale’s downtown, trying to run from everything that had been said. 

She wasn’t lying with what she said. That was when she had met Blake. And Blake had led her to Adam Taurus, thus indirectly leading her into her membership into the White Fang. She had felt like she fit in there, and hadn’t gone home for a week. When she finally did, she hadn’t said where she had gone, only what had led to her running away.

“Thank you, Blake.” Yang’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

“It’s no issue. I was in the same situation, myself.” Blake smiled at the both of them.

“Thank you, again.” Yang smiled back, a genuine smile of thanks. Then she yawned and stretched.

“Tired?” Ruby asked her sister.

“Yeah. I’m going to bed.” With that, she turned and walked off, back towards her’s and Ruby’s beds.

“Goodnight, Yang. I’ll be to bed in a minute.”

Ruby turned to Blake.

“You ought to get to sleep soon, too. Consider it an order, My Lady Shadow. Goodnight.” Ruby smiled.

“Goodnight, My Lady Ashes.”

Ruby stood, stretched, and walked back over to her bed. She collapsed into it, and glanced back at Blake, who had marked her place in her book, and drawn a blanket up around herself.

“Goodnight, My Lady.” She whispered. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

…

…

_ A faint memory came to her. It was from years ago, just a few weeks after she joined the White Fang.  _

_ Someone had tried to kill Adam, his motives rather obvious; some were willing to kill any faunus who “stepped out of line”.  _

_ Ruby had prevented one death by causing another. It was the first time she had killed. It took her four days to get over it. But the memory that came was almost immediately after the kill. _

_ Ruby buried her face in a red and black armored side, sobbing. She hands were slick with red, so much of it, more than she had ever seen before, all over her hands, her arms, her front, her face.  _

_ A pair of powerful arms wrapped her on a hug. She looked up, still crying, trying to see past a fearsome mask, a mask of Grimm, as she tried to look at the young woman's eyes. She finally succeeded as Ruby’s eyes met ruby eyes. _

_ … _

_ … _

  
{End Chapter 3}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please let me know what you think, here or on tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/justoneofclockworkthoughts


	4. That Must Be Who Jaune Walked Into Earlier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long! Hopefully the next chapter won't take so long.

Ruby awoke with a start, her hand going to the small of her back, grasping for metal that wasn't there. Then she relaxed, glancing around her.

She was at Beacon Academy, in the ballroom, surrounded by sleeping students, no one else awake. She glanced at her scroll beside her. 4:47 AM, read the glowing numbers on the screen that she had forgotten to close. 

She sat up and stretched, yawning, still tired. She hadn't slept well, but, then again, she hadn’t in years, even when she didn't dream. It was, she supposed, a reflection of her conscience, lashing out at her for what she had done, and had told others to do.

Ruby shook her head to clear it, readjusting her headphones as she did so. She only thought like that on the mornings, and even then, only after a nightmare. She rolled to her feet, looking around again, looking for the few she knew.

Weiss was, as she had said earlier, lying near the main entrance to the room, almost spread-eagle on the white blanket making up her bed. She smiled slightly, and kept looking about.

Jaune was leaning up against a wall, off in a corner, his arms crossed. 

She noticed two others she hadn't seen since she arrived: Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie. They were together, Nora having rolled off their bedroll and onto Ren’s, their arms wrapped around the other's chest.

_ Deny it all you want, Nora. You are in love, and are not adept at hiding it. _

Yang snorted in her sleep, and giggled softly, causing Ruby to glance down at her. A small grin adorned her sister's sleeping face, giving evidence for a pleasant dream. 

_ At least one of us can sleep well, it seems. _

A soft mewl made her start, and rapidly look around the room. She located the source immediately.

Blake was shaking, curled up in a tight ball, twitching as if terrified, still evidently asleep. Ruby went over to her, moving both swiftly and silently, before sliding down next to the cat faunus. Up close, she could see more of Blake, and what she saw caused her heart to sink. 

Her sleeves were rolled up, and blood welled from jagged scratches on Blake's arms as she clawed at herself in her sleep, and she twitched and mewled, a terrified expression on her face.

_ Not again… Blake, please wake up… I can't bear to watch you do this to yourself… _

Ruby’s hands slipped into Blake's shoulders, shaking slightly. She bent down, placing her head next to the other girl's cat ear, and whispered to her, softly, quiet enough that she could barely hear herself.

“Blake, it's alright, okay? Whatever's wrong, it's just a dream.”

Ruby slid her hands farther down Blake's body, and gently pulled her up into a kneeling position, leaning her still asleep Thorn onto her chest, gently wrapping her arms around the other girl.

Ruby gently rocked from side to side, trying to soothe the nightmare. She evidently failed, because Blake woke up, her near scream muffled by the fact that she turned so that her face was completely in Ruby's chest before letting it out.

“It's okay, it's okay, it's just a dream. You're okay, Blake, we're at Beacon Academy, and everything's okay.” Her whispers seemed to help calm Blake slightly, but then the other faunus began to cry, her face still buried in Ruby's chest, her sobs muffled by both her own attempts to keep quiet, and by her face’s position.

It took a few minutes for Blake's sobs to stop. She sniffled, and pulled her head out of Ruby's chest, wiping her eyes and looking up, molten gold meeting calm silver.

“S-sorry…” Blake stuttered, trying to lean away. Ruby's arms stayed around her, not letting her move.

“There's nothing to be sorry for.” Ruby whispered, leaning forwards, following Blake's movement away. At this, Blake slumped.

“I shouldn't…”

A soft chuckle interrupted her.

“Shouldn't have nightmares? Shouldn't feel?” Ruby head-butted the other girl lightly, resting her forehead on Blake's.

“We all do, Blake. I just woke up from one.”

Blake slid slightly closer to her, but said nothing.

Ruby's eyes slipped down to Blake's arms. Some of the scratches were still bleeding, crimson trickling down into the black fabric of Ruby's shirt and sweatpants.

Blake followed her gaze, looking down at her arms.

“I'm sorry…” she whispered again.

“There is no need to be… follow me.”

She stood, maintaining a light grip on Blake's right arm, helping her…  _ Love?... _ stand.

_ Is that what I feel? I love all my Thorns as family, but Blake… _

She pushed the thought away. She didn't want to think about that so early in the morning. 

Ruby walked over to her blanket on the floor, noting that Yang had shifted position, and was now on her stomach, arms under her head. She was still smiling, and seemed to be sleeping easily.

Ruby half-grinned at that, and opened her bag, grabbing a first aid kit she kept at the top, and her scroll, which now indicated that the time was 5:04.

She straightened up, and turned to Blake, who stood behind her, slightly more at ease then when she woke up.

“Come on, let’s get those taken care of.” Ruby told her, indicating Blake's arms, hidden under her now rolled down sleeves. She tapped the scroll to bring up a map, looking for a bathroom with showers, and found one, separated from the ballroom by a single hallway. She grabbed her bag and started in the direction of the indicated bathroom, pausing to let Blake get her bag.

When they arrived, Ruby set her bag down on the counter, as Blake did the same. She lightly pulled Blake closer to her, and rolled up the sleeves that Blake had tried to hide her arms with. They stuck slightly, blood adhering them to her. Ruby winced at the jagged edges of her cuts.

She turned, opened the first aid kit and removed a small bottle of disinfectant. Ruby poured a small amount onto a small cotton pad, and dapped this cotton pad over Blake's cuts, gently cleaning them. 

“They're not large enough to have to stitch. This will be good, just keep them clean. I know that's common sense, but…” she hesitated slightly, and looked up, locking eyes with the cat faunus. 

“I worry about you, alright?” She had changed her words at the last second.

Blake seemed to not notice.

“You still have the supplies to stitch in there?”

Ruby looked down.

“Yeah. After… you found me, I just never took them out. Replaced them, but I still have them.”

Blake abruptly hugged Ruby, evidently trying to distract her from darker memories. Ruby hugged her back, thankful for the affection on Blake's part.

_ Maybe it's not all on my side? _

And then, as if to deliberately kill a somewhat tender moment, Nora Valkyrie burst into the room.

“Good MORNING!” The hyper redhead yelled. The immediately calmed down. Slightly.

“Lady Ashes, Lady Shadow! Good morning!” Then they seemed notice the open first aid kit on the counter, and the bloody cotton pad, and promptly came to the wrong conclusion.

“My Lady Ashes, I thought you said you'd stop doing that!” Their attempt at an angry scolding was undermined by a massive amount of worry, and the fact they were scolding the person they worked under.

“It's okay, Thunder, I haven't been. Shadow was injured, and I was helping her.”

“Oh. What happened?”

“Don't worry about it. And don't use those names here. I've already scolded Day about it.” She smiled slightly, turning her head to look at Nora, the smile and a light tone softening the slight rebuke.

“What are your names, then?” Nora asked, tilting their head slightly to the right, as they did every time they asked a question.

“I'm Blake, Blake Belladonna.” 

“Ruby Rose. I already know your name, Nora Valkyrie.”

“Yep!” The one in the doorway confirmed.

“Flower's is Lie Ren, correct?” Ruby asked, rhetorically, leaning slightly towards Blake, who leaned slightly toward her in response.

“Yep!” Came a second confirmation, Nora failing to catch the nature of the question.

“So, what's Day's name? You said he's here.” Nora wanted to know.

“Jaune Arc.”

“Ah.” Nora nodded. They turned, starting to walk towards the showers, before stopping and turning back.

“Oh, by the way, remember that guy who you said knew a bit too much about us?”

Ruby and Blake both nodded.

“I presume that you took care of him?” Ruby queried.

“Yeah. Incidentally, we're down a car. I had to have one of Velvet’s friends dispose of it.”

Ruby dismissed the statement with a small wave of her hand.

“We have more than we'll ever need, anyway.”

She turned back to Blake, who had packed the first aid kit while Ruby was talking with Nora, and tossed the bloody alcohol soaked cotton pad in the trash.

“Thanks, Blake.” 

Ruby picked up the kit, and started to walk toward the entrance that Nora had been standing in front of, and had vacated for one of the showers. 

“Did you remember a towel, Nora?”

She asked over her shoulder as she placed one hand on the door, Blake right behind her.

“Uhhh… Whoops. Can you grab mine from my bag?”

Ruby smiled slightly, and sighed.

“Will do.”

She pushed the door open, and left the room, Blake practically on her heels.

…

…

Ruby tossed her wet towel onto the shower stall door, and rubbed at her canine ears, massaging the tips. Her hair was still very wet, and clung to her, ignoring her attempts to blow it off her face.

She ignored this, and began to dress, thinking as she did so.

_ Initiation day. Today teams are decided. According to Velvet and Oobleck, partners are decided by the first person you make eye contact with during initiation. I need a plan. I already know who to make my partner. _

Dressed, she grabbed her towel, put her headphones on, taking care to not twist or fold her wolf ears, and left the room.

…

…

“... Can you imitate a sloth?” Ruby heard Nora ask Ren, who was loading their weapons, the StormFlowers Bladed Sub-machine guns.

“Nora?” Ren sounded tired. And, judging by the placement of their ponytail, was male that day.

“Yes, Ren?” Nora had stopped bouncing, and was looking at Ren expectantly.

He tilted his arms up, and let the StormFlowers fold up, and slide down his sleeves.

“I don't think sloths make a lot of noise.”

_ And there’s the snark. _

Nora seemed to stop and think about this for a moment, and Ruby turned back to her locker, loading Dust Rounds into a spare magazine. She estimated that she’d need about three extra magazines, at most. Crescent Rose was a very powerful weapon, especially in scythe form, and when she wasn’t holding back.

“That’s why it’s PERFECT! No one will suspect we’re working together!” Nora was almost yelling in their excitement.

A locker clanged shut, and Ruby heard Ren’s tired voice again.

“Come on, Nora, let’s go.” Ruby could hear the smile in his voice. 

Ren left the locker room, nodding at Ruby and Yang as he passed, Nora skipping along behind him.

“No points for guessing what they’re worked up about.” Ruby said, grinning. She loaded one of the magazines into Crescent Rose, and collapsed her into her compact form, sliding the weapon onto her normal place at the small of Ruby’s back.

“Yeah, I can definitely tell. So, you seem awfully chipper this morning.” Yang was loading Ember Cecilia, and strapping extra Dust Shells onto her hips and upper arms.

Ruby fully slipped into her hyper and awkward student/civilian persona, and replied.

“Yep! No more awkward small talk or any ‘getting-to-know-you’ stuff. Today, I get to let my sweetheart do the talking!” She patted Crescent Rose happily.

“Well, remember, Ruby, you’re not the only one going through initiation. If you wanna grow up, you’re gonna have to meet new people and learn to work together.”

_ I can, and do. Possibly much better than you. I wouldn’t have my Thorns if I couldn’t do that. _

Ruby sighed, mimicking frustration she didn’t really feel. She was far too used to Yang’s little motherly moments to do anything more than take it in stride.

“You sound like dad. Okay, first of all; what does meeting new people have to do with fighting? And secondly; I don’t need people to help me grow up!” She crossed her arms in vague defiance.

“But what about when we form teams?” Yang asked, one eyebrow raised.

_ I already have a plan, Yang… For my partner, and team. But I can guarantee our fourth member won’t be very happy with the arrangements in the slightest. At first, anyway. _

She didn’t say that thought aloud. Yang knew she was far more collected than she showed, and that she usually had a plan, but this was one instance where she didn’t want her sister to know how much she knew, and how much she had plans, so instead she mimicked nervousness and a lack of planning.

“Um, I don't know, I... I'll just be on your team or something…” Ruby let her voice trail off.

Yang brought her hair around, over her shoulder to hang down her front, and started to stroke the blond mass.

“Maybe you should try being on someone else's team?” She suggested, tilting her head slightly.

Ruby set her shoulders again.

“My dear sister Yang, are you implying that you do not wish to be on the same team as me?” 

“What? No! Of course I do! I just thought... I don't know, maybe it would help you... break out of your shell!” She seemed slightly embarrassed. Ruby sighed.

“I don’t need to ‘break out of my shell’. That concept is-” 

“Ridiculous!” Jaune interrupted her, walking past Yang and Ruby, head down, looking at his scroll.

There's no way I put my gear in locker 636 yesterday! I would've remembered having to count that high! Why does this have to happen today?”

_ Getting a little into your cover, Day? _

Ruby watched as he kept walking, a slight grin of amusement on her face.

He blundered into someone on accident, someone who had been talking with Weiss.

Ruby turned away, going back to loading her magazines. She set the second one on her belt, clipping it into a metal catch on her belt, on the other side of nine rounds set individually in fabric loops, bound tightly in place. These appeared, on the outside, to be ordinary Dust Rounds. They were not. The nine bullets were Anti-Aura Rounds, designed and proven to ignore a target's Aura when fired, and wreak havoc on anything Aura-based. They were very hard and expensive to make, and thus, were very rare. Less than two hundred existed on Remnant. Ruby had nine of them.

On a whim, she plucked one out of her belt, and held it up to examine. It glowed faintly as she held it, reacting with her Aura. Satisfied, she returned it to its previous position, and grabbed her last magazine. She slid a last few rounds into it, and attached it to the clip on her right side.

Abruptly, there was a noise like a weapon striking something, accompanied by a thud as if someone hit something. Ruby looked up, and found a sight she was not expecting to see.

Jaune was sitting on the ground, pinned by a javelin through his hood to a locker.

“I'm sorry!” came a yell. Ruby recognized the voice. 

_ Pyrrha Nikos. Graduated top of her class at Sanctum Academy. Winner of the Mistral Regional Tournament four years in a row. Possesses the semblance of Polarity, according to her school records. A possible target for recruitment, if she weren't so moralistic. _

She turned, her faunus hearing detecting footsteps.

Weiss Schnee walked right past her, ignoring her presence, while the other girl, Pyrrha _ -that must be who Jaune walked into earlier- _ , moved over to where Jaune sat.

The PA system came on.

“Would all first-year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation? Again, all first-year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately.” Glynda's voice announced.

Pyrrha reached Jaune then, and withdrew her weapon from his hood. Ruby caught the split second where her hand was surrounded by a black glow, heard a sound she didn't recognize, and noticed that Pyrrha’s hand didn't touch the javelin until after it left the locker and Jaune's hood.

_ So, it really is polarity. That intelligence was right. _

“It was nice meeting you!” Pyrrha told Jaune, and then left the room. Yang approached him.

“Having trouble there, ladykiller?” She asked, amusement in her voice.

“I don't understand. My dad said all women look for is confidence! Where did I go wrong?" Jaune said, apparently somewhat surprised, but Ruby knew him well enough to tell that he was faking it. He seemed more like he had just learned valuable information.

“‘Snow Angel’ probably wasn’t the best start.”

…

…

Ruby stood on a square of metal, at the edge of a cliff, only half-listening to Professor Ozpin as he spoke to the assembled students. Glynda stood next to him, in her usual fashion.

“These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work well. That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years.” Ozpin sounded a bit like he was lecturing them, as teachers were wont to do.

Ruby mostly ignored him, being far too busy formulating plans for upon landing to pay much attention. It was information she already knew, anyway.

“After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path... or you will die. You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation, but our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. You will guard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?”

Jaune raised his hand. Ozpin didn't seem to care about actually answering any questions, and instead ignored Jaune.

“Good! Now, take your positions.”

Jaune spoke up anyway, at the same time as the squares of metal began activating, revealing themselves to be massively powerful springboards, launching students into the forest.

“So, uh, are you dropping us off at the bottom of the cliff or something?”

Ozpin turned his head slightly, to look at the student. He seemed somewhat amused by Jaune's naivete, and lack of situational awareness.

“No. You will be falling.”

“Oh. Did we get parachutes or something?”

He still seemed to be missing the other students launching. Ruby didn't, and watched with some amusement as Nora leaned forward a split-second before launch, causing them to spin wildly head-over-heels through the air.

“No. You will be using your own landing strategy.” Again, the headmaster seemed amused.

Yang launched, right next to Ruby. It was her turn next-

The metal shot up and forwards, launching Ruby into the air at a tremendous velocity.

Ruby scanned the sky, searching for the girl she had decided would be her partner.

She was easy to find, she stood out against the sky.

Ruby did some rapid calculations, determining the likely landing zones for both her and the other girl. They would land near each other.  _ Excellent. _

Ruby unsheathed Crescent Rose, and began to prepare her landing strategy.

_ And it begins. _

…

…

{End Chapter 4}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be a flashback chapter, probably an altered version of the Black Trailer.  
> As always, please let me know what you think of this story so far, either here or on my tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/justoneofclockworkthoughts


	5. This Would Be Embarrassing If It Were Anyone Other Than Shadow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long! Please enjoy!  
> Also: Flashback Chapter 1!

“Ashes, Shadow, it's time.” Adam Taurus's words broke the silence surrounding the pair of Thorns sitting back-to-back atop a rock outcropping, quietly observing the forest around them.

Lady Ashes glanced over at him.

“Very well.” She whispered, her voice amplified and changed by the black, full face Grimm Mask. She tapped Lady Shadow on her shoulder, and slid off her perch. Shadow followed her, sliding her mask into place.

All three of them took off at a full sprint, covering ground rapidly. As they ran, Ashes drew her weapon, converting Crescent Rose into a massive sword, rather than her regular sniper-scythe form. Judging by a pair of metal-on-metal sounds, so had the others.

Ashes hit the edge of the hill first, leaping off and landing on the steep slope, legs bent and body angled back to keep her balance, sliding down the hill, the other two behind her.

_ There's the train. _

A massive freight train shot along its tracks below the three, at the bottom of the hill. 

Ashes leaned forward slightly, shifting her center of gravity, increasing the speed at which she moved. 

A few yards from the bottom of the hill, she leaped into the air, her momentum carrying her forward, onto the roof of one of the train cars, which she stabbed with Crescent Rose in order to stabilize herself, before rapidly moving to a hatch in the train car’s roof. A pair of light thuds told her that the other two had landed. 

“Over here.” She whispered again, still being heard over the wind and the train thanks to the mask's wireless connection to her scroll, tucked away safely in one of the pockets on the inside of the jacket she currently wore, an exact copy of the one Adam wore, save for the size. She had begun to copy his manner of dress years ago, when she had decided that he was another sibling of hers, regardless of what he said about it.

“One of the Dust cars?” Adam asked, the microphone around his throat picking up the quiet question and sending it to the earpieces of Ashes' mask, despite the fact that she could hear him perfectly anyway.

Shadow spoke up, answering the question for Ashes.

“According to the cargo manifest, the worker we bribed, and Lady Ice, probably yes. All cars from the rear to midpoint are Dust, save two full of combat androids. Which two are unknown.”

“Just making sure I remembered correctly.”

Shadow glanced at him, her face, and thus, expression, hidden beneath the ornate black Grimm mask she wore. 

All Thorns wore black masks, but most wore simple black full-face variations of the White Fang’s standard mask.  All Thorn masks had built-in microphones, earpieces, scroll connections, and even a rudimentary Heads-Up-Display, but the Masks worn by the Lords and Ladies were far more ornate, and designed by their wearers. Their masks truly mimicked Creatures of Grimm, giving them fearsome appearances. Lady Shadow’s Mask was a mixture between a Beowulf and a Gryphon, deliberately chosen to obscure what Grimm she was copying, invoking a fear of the unknown. Ashes’ own Mask was also a mixture between Grimm types, one a Beowulf, the other a type very few even knew had ever existed, let alone still did: A Grimm Dragon.

“Let’s find out.”

Adam pulled the hatch up, and dropped down easily. Ashes and Shadow followed him, Both landing in a crouching position, one hand on the floor, one hand on their weapons, now sheathed. All three looked up at the same time.

“Shit.” Taurus swore quietly. All around them were deactivated AK-130 combat androids, laser trip systems active. And Adam’s leg was through one.

“Looks like we're going to be doing this the hard way.” He said, both hands on his weapons, one on Wilt, the other on Blush.

“No need for the dramatic, Adam.” Shadow sounded vaguely amused.

All three rose slowly, hands on their weapons, as the androids began to activate and surround them.

“Intruder, identify yourself.” The AK-130 closest to Adam, the one he had accidentally activated, demanded.

_ I'm still amused they gave nonsentient combat and security androids speech formulation software and speakers. _

Adam’s response was very clear, and very concise. He activated Blush, fired Wilt from it, and cut the android in half.

Ashes spun sideways, Crescent Rose out in front of her, raised and angled to be at head height for the androids. The blade easily sliced through metal armor and circuitry, as sharp as she was, and being strengthened further by Ashes’ Aura made her nigh-unstoppable without using Aura against her. Even then, she was difficult to defend against. 

Gunfire sounded next to her as Shadow locked the main blade of Gambol Shroud into it’s back position, making it easier to use the handgun build into the hilt. Android after android fell to the blades and gunfire, Adam behaving like he was sparring with someone in training, Shadow flitting in and out of the fight, using her semblance to confuse the androids’ targeting systems. Ashes simply spun, dancing as if she were a ballerina of death, using techniques she’d learned from Lady Silence, her mute assassin.

A door clanged open.

“Hey, what’s going on in-” One of the train’s crew had evidently come to investigate. Ashes glanced over at them.

The crew member was a young woman dressed in an SDC Security uniform, her eyes hidden behind a set of visored sunglasses, a rifle in her hands, and a tail twitching in shock, her mouth wide open as she took in the scene before her.

Ashes didn’t give her time to react. She activated her semblance, and shot towards the woman, her shoulder slamming into the guard’s stomach at half the speed of sound, a very low speed as far as her semblance was concerned.

The guard was sent flying from the impact, launched by the force and impact angle back through the door she had stepped through. Ashes followed, knowing the other two could handle to remaining androids easily.

The other woman was curled half into a ball, both hands on her rifle, raising it in Ashes’ direction. She stormed forwards, covering the distance almost instantaneously even without her semblance, kicking the woman’s weapon out of her hand, before smashing the flat of Crescent Rose’s blade into the side of her head, dropping her like a rock.

Ashes bent down, her gloved hand going to the woman's throat. After a second, she straightened, and stood up.

_ She's still breathing. Good. _

Behind her, the front of the car she'd just vacated exploded. She spun around, Crescent Rose at the ready.

Adam was the first one she saw, running while firing Blush behind him.

A massive, four legged android burst from the wreckage, it's smaller guns firing rapidly. Lady Shadow clung to the thing by Gambol Shroud’s secondary blade jammed into its armor, the main blade still folded back, as she fired round after round into its armor.

Ashes shot forward, ignoring a sudden spike of pain in her chest.

As she passed Adam, she noticed that he had dropped into a semi-crouching position, Wilt sheathed inside Blush, gathering energy.

Ashes reached the droid as Shadow reconfigured Gambol Shroud, and began using the ribbon attached to its primary blade to swing around and attack with the secondary. Ashes didn’t waste any time in joining her, launching herself about the droid, slashing gashes in its armor, ignoring the pain as it grew worse.

A series of mechanical thuds sounded as the upper section of the droid unfolded a massive set of cannons that rapidly combined into a single, larger one. At this, both Shadow and Ashes launched themselves off the droid, ducking behind Adam. The droid’s cannon swiveled to point at him. And fired.

A massive, blue-white beam sliced toward the three, and in the same instant, Adam unsheathed Wilt, drawing it half out of Blush, holding the blade out in front of him, catching the blast in the same way Ashes had seen him do before. He sheathed Wilt again, almost too fast for Ashes to see, as her vision abruptly began to blur, red and black spiking the edges of her sight.

She watched as Adam, glowing with absorbed power, leaned forward before unleashing it in a massively powerful slice, turning the droid and everything else in front of him in the path of his blade to ash.

Ashes doubled over as the pain became too much for her to bear and remain upright.

“Ashes!” Shadow was by her side in an instant, Adam immediately after.

“What's wrong, what's happening!?” Shadow’s voice was no longer controlled, nor calm.

“Chest…” Ashes gasped, half a second before Adam grabbed her arm and pulled her sideways, spinning her up and onto a crate of Dust.

Shadow placed her hand on Ashes’ chest, brushing against it lightly, not letting her hand blurred it for long, but even then, her hand came away sticky and crimson.

_ The stab wound from Weiss Schnee… I must have reopened it... _

Ashes’ vision blurred again, before everything turned black.

…

…

Ashes awoke with a start. Her chest still hurt, but not as bad as before. Darkness still took the place of her sight, but she was aware that she was upside down, and bent over something, and that something was moving. She moved her right arm out in front of her, and found herself grasping fabric.

“She's awake.” It was Shadow’s voice, full of relief. 

Ashes felt herself tilt backwards, a strong pair of arms preventing her from falling, instead gently lowering her, and she realized that the reason she couldn't see anything when she first awoke was because her mask had been pressed into Lady Shadow’s back.

“How are you feeling?”

“I'm still in pain, but I can finish the mission.”

She looked around. They were still on the train, on the same car, but surrounded by more boxes of Dust, and the SDC security agent she had incapacitated earlier was no longer where Ashes had let her lay.

“We're essentially done.” Adam appeared on the other side of Shadow, concern for his surrogate little sister written across his features.

“All we really need to do is double-check that we've got everything, cut the connection, and detonate the explosives. All the SDC personnel are in the front two cars. They'll be out of the blast radius.”

“Excellent. Someone help me up.” Ashes out her hand out, and Shadow took it, pulling her leader to her feet. Ashes felt her face blush as Shadow’s hand grasped hers.

_ Why am I blushing? I'm not overheating… _

She pushed the thought away, and glanced at Adam, who was more near the connector between the car they were on, and the next one.

“Are we finished?”

“The explosives are in a timer, so… “

Adam turned, and slashed the connector with Wilt, and turned back to her.

“Now we are.”

…

…

Ashes leaned against Shadow for support, tired and in massive pain again as the two approached the front door of the Xiao Long household. She was only semiconscious, and had one arm around Shadow, her head lolling into Shadow's shoulder as the other girl tried, and mostly succeeded, to avoid looking at her leader's face.

_ This would be embarrassing if it were anyone other than Shadow _ .

As they reached the porch steps, she shifted her weight, and rolled off the other Thorn’s shoulder, her hands grasping onto the porch railing.

“I'm fine from here. Keep my mask and coat for now. I'll contact you and Adam again in a few weeks, as planned.”

“Understood.” Shadow started to slip away, and then paused.

“I'm sorry.”

“For what?” Ashes asked.

“You shouldn't have had to fight. You're still wounded from the failed assassination attempt a few weeks ago. I shouldn't have let you fight.”

“Don't beat yourself up over it, Shadow. It was my choice to. Now, you go get home and get done sleep, it's four in the morning and you've been fighting and helping me all day. Get some rest.”

“Heh. Will do, My Lady.”

With that, she vanished.

Ashes turned, and staggered up the steps, stopping at the door. She raised her hand to knock, and the instant she removed her hand from the railing, she lost her balance and fell forward onto the door instead.

The door opened slightly after a few seconds.

“Hello?” It was Yang, and she sounded like she hadn't slept all night, and was running on caffeine, sugar, and television.

Ashes slipped back into her regular persona and responded.

“Hi, Yang.” Ashes/Ruby was aware her voice sounded weak.

“Hey, Rubes!”

Yang fully opened the door, allowing Ruby to faceplant onto the floor, realizing at the last moment that she'd never done anything about the blood all down her front.

…

…

{End Chapter 5}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be a continuation of chapter 4. As always, please let me know what you think, here or on tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/justoneofclockworkthoughts  
> Also, I may be posting snippets of future chapters there occasionally, so please check occasionally!


	6. Wouldn't Be The First Time You've Tried

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this chapter is a bit short. Enjoy!

Leaves crunched softly underfoot as Ruby ran through the forest, semblance active.

She moved far quicker than she normally did, for any bit of speed helped. She had to reach Weiss before anyone else did. It was a part of her plans that had been adapting since she had run into the heiress the day before.

She didn't bother to look for Yang. She'd already tasked Blake with partnering with her sister, the better to keep the proverbial wild-card close, the same reason the main one for her deciding to partner with Weiss. The other was simply because she thought the irony amusing. Weiss had nearly killed her, and now the heiress would be forced to work with her. Even with the other girl's lack of knowledge on that particular situation, Ruby found it amusing.

She passed another student fighting a pair of Ursai, and holding his own against the two. As her semblance was active, the blinding speed of the student was slowed to the point he was barely moving, even the bullets he had fired from his weapon moved slower than a walking pace, the spin seeming almost lazy from Ruby's perspective. That was part of her semblance, boosting her reflexes and speed of thought, in addition to dilating time somewhat.

Ruby saw a flash of white with blue, and turned slightly, changing her path.

_ There she is! _

She didn't stop until half a second before she would have impacted Weiss, deactivating her semblance and stopping instantaneously, producing a flurry of rose petals as she did so. The heiress flinched as a few petals landed on her, and spun around. Molten silver briefly met icy blue, before the other girl turned on her heel again, and began to walk off.

“Wait, where are you going!?” Ruby half-yelled after her. “We're supposed to be teammates.” She stopped, and pretended to be dejected as she glanced ahead of Weiss, and had to hide a grin at what she saw.

Jaune was suspended midway up the tree by what appeared to be Pyrrha's javelin through his hood, Weiss looking up at him with a mixture of annoyance, and confusion, no doubt as to the circumstances that resulted in his current position.

The heiress again turned, and began to walk back in Ruby's direction, anger, frustration, and annoyance on her features.

She stormed past Ruby, grabbing the shorter girl's hood as she moved past, dragging her along with the heiress.

“By no means does this make us friends.”

Ruby threw her hands up, mimicking joy.

“You came back!” She smiled as Weiss dragged her off, not for the least reason being that she saw Pyrrha emerge from the underbrush as she and her newfound partner left the area.

After a few minutes, Weiss twisted her arm and pulled forward, spinning Ruby to her feet and pulling her to stand next to Weiss.

Ruby immediately began to lag behind, deliberately letting the heiress take the lead.

_ Let's see how you do when forced into a leadership position. _

Ruby was genuinely curious as to how her new partner would do, and how she would act in such a role. She knew that Weiss was a good fighter, the barely-healed scars on her chest and back were proof of that. But she had no idea how the other girl would behave when in the lead.

…

...

Weiss glanced back, and increased her pace.

_ Well, that's telling. _

“What's the hurry?” Ruby asked, trying to provoke an answer out of the girl in the lead.

Weiss turned her head slightly, as if she didn't even care enough to look at Ruby as she spoke.

“I will not let my mission be delayed because you're too slow! I swear, if I get a bad grade because of your-”

Ruby triggered her semblance, producing a flurry of rose petals. She moved to a position in front of her partner, before disengaging her semblance again, producing another rose petal flurry.

She grinned as the cool, composed, collected image the heiress tried to project fell away for a split second, to reveal surprise and confusion. Ruby brought her hands up under her chin, to mimic a begging dog, poking fun at her canine nature, trying to get more of a reaction out of her partner, despite the other girl being unaware of the fact that her new partner was a faunus, her ears still concealed under headphones.

“What the-”

“I'm not slow, see? You don't have to worry about me!” She brought her hands down to fold her arms over her chest, cocking her hips to the side.

Weiss glanced back behind them, slight amazement on her face.

“When did…?”

“Just now, depending on the question.” Ruby replied to her partner's partly formed query. Then she hung her head and sighed. 

Cracking branches caught her attention briefly. The sound would be too faint for Weiss, a human, to catch, but Ruby, with her faunus hearing, caught the sounds.

_ Grimm on the approach. Time to see how you fight against them instead of another huntress. Or, rather, huntress-in-training. _

She refocused on her partner, who now had her arms crossed in front of her.

“Weiss, just because I don't exactly know how to deal with people doesn't mean I don't know how to deal with Grimm! After all, socialization isn't exactly high on my priority list. Combat, on the other hand, is at the top. So, let’s go!”

Ruby again triggered her semblance, again producing a flurry of rose petals, some of which blew in front of Weiss’s face. She grinned at that, and shot upwards, into a tree branch above and to the right of her partner, a branch that was both obscured from the ground, and provided a good vantage point.

She deactivated her semblance as she reached the branch, scattering her rose petals yet again, and settled down into a crouching position, sliding Crescent Rose off her back as she did so, watching, waiting. As she had thought, there were Grimm surrounding Weiss. Beowulves, if she had to be specific, though they didn't seem to be aware that Weiss was there.

“You may be fast, but you still excel at wasting time!” Weiss was pissed, storming in a small circle, apparently trying to calm down slightly.

Ruby slid her personal scroll out of its hiding place, and sent Blake a text message.

_ (Have you found Yang yet?) _

A response came in seconds.

_ (With her r/n. NV says they're w/LR. Smthn bout a sloth, idk. Wt bout JA?) _

Ruby let out a breath in a way that mimicked quiet laughter.  _ That's Nora alright. _

_ (Last saw him with Pyrrha. Everything's on track.) _

More cracking branches sounded, this time loud enough that Weiss could hear them.

_ (Got to go. Keep to plan.) _

“Ruby?” Weiss asked, apprehension in her voice.

A Beowulf stepped out of the underbrush, snarling at the heiress.

“Ruby!”

The Beowulves advanced, more appearing from the underbrush.

Ruby saw Weiss slow her movements, an instant before the nearest Beowulf struck. Weiss blocked the blow, but the momentum still sent her to the middle of the circle of Grimm.

Ruby shifted position, and prepared to activate her semblance again.

_ This is going to be boring from up here. Let's see how you deal with the unexpected in combat. Like your missing partner abruptly reappearing. _

Ruby watched as Weiss prepared to strike the Grimm, waiting for an opening.

Weiss shot forward on her glyphs, hovering slightly above the ground. In the same instant, Ruby triggered her semblance, and shot at the Beowulf Weiss was targeting, landing between it and her partner, Crescent Rose raised, drawing it across the Beowulf in front of her, slicing it in half, dissolving the Grimm into shadows and rose petals in the split second before she deactivated her semblance.

Weiss’s response was less than graceful. Judging by the sound, she flailed about, trying to not hit the younger girl, and set part of the forest on fire instead.

“Watch it!” Ruby growled at her.

“Excuse me! You attacked out of turn! I could have killed you!”

_ Wouldn't be the first time you've tried. _

“You'll have to try a lot harder than that…” Ruby let her voice trail off as she dropped into a combat stance.

Weiss glanced around, and grabbed Ruby's arm.

“We have to go!” She said urgently, her voice devoid of the scorn it usually carried. She yanked on the arm she held, and Ruby followed her.

_ Not an inspiring leader. _

Weiss roughly pulled Ruby out of the blaze, dragging her off to a safe distance, as the fire encircled the Beowulves.

_ Just a small fire. I give it about an hour or so before it goes out. _

Weiss stopped, let go of Ruby, and panted a bit, bent over with her hands on her knees.

_ Leadership test two. _

“What was that?! That should have been easy!” Ruby asked.

Weiss glared up at her from her position, and straightened up.

“Well perhaps if you had exercised even the slightest amount of caution with the placement of your strikes, I wouldn't have set the forest on fire!”

“And that is supposed to mean?” Ruby inquired with a raised eyebrow.

“I'm just surprised someone who talks so much would communicate so little during an encounter!” Weiss was becoming more indignant with every word. Ruby matched her, internally amused at the heiress overreaction, but also apprehensive at how this would affect their future interactions.

“Well, I apologize for the fact that you require my assistance to win a fight. I, conversely, am just fine on my own. “

She allowed her tone to become lower during the last sentence, and her voice to grow colder.

“Well, congratulations on being the strongest child to sneak your way into Beacon. Bravo!” Weiss practically screamed at Ruby, before storming off.

Ruby sighed, and followed her.

_ Test two, failed. _

…

…

Ruby sat in the ground, consulting a bullet removed from one of Crescent Rose's spare magazines. Behind her, Weiss paced back and forth, attempting to determine the direction the two should go in.

“It's definitely this way…” Her footsteps, soft and muffled by the grass, stopped briefly, before starting again in the opposite direction.

_ No it isn't. Not that way, either. _

“I mean... this way! It's definitely this way.” She stopped in front of Ruby and sighed.

_ Give up? _

“Alright, it's official. We passed it.”

Ruby stood up, mildly annoyed.

“Weiss, why can't you just admit that you have no idea where we're going?”

Weiss turned to scowl at her.

“Because I know exactly where we're going! We're going... to... the forest temple!”

Ruby sighed again.

_ I know this. _

“Oh, stop it! You don't know where we are, either!”

_ Actually, I do. _

“Well, at least I'm not pretending like I know everything.” She said, rather than admit that she knew far more than she had been letting on.

_ Leadership test three, failed. _

“And what is that supposed to mean?”

“It means that you are acting like you know far more than you do. Trust me, that attitude will come back and bite you in the ass, Schnee.” Ruby let her voice become cold as she spoke the second sentence, but Weiss didn't seem to be fully listening to her.

_ I’ve seen that attitude be fatal. _

The heiress half-sighed, half-shrieked with frustration. Then she spun on her heel, and started to storm off in a different direction than she had been considering earlier.

“Just keep moving!”

Ruby didn't move.

“Why are you such a control freak?” At that, Weiss turned back around to face her partner.

“I'm not a control freak! Don't say things like that!”

“Then stop treating me like a child.”

“Stop acting like one.”

Ruby hung her head and sighed.

“Stop acting like you're perfect.”

“I’m. Not. Perfect. Not yet.”

Weiss turned and began to walk off again.

“But I'm still leagues better than you.”

Ruby smirked.

_ You've still got a lot to learn, Weiss. _

…

…

{End Chapter 6}


	7. How Did My Headphones Stay On During That?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long! Enjoy!

“I told you it was in this direction, Weiss.”

Ruby's tone was warm with amusement as the heiress stumbled out of the underbrush behind her.

“Here we are.” She gestured towards a small stone ruin set near the end of a long clearing.

“Okay, so you were right. Big deal.” Weiss scowled at her partner. “Let's go.” The heiress set off towards the ruin, which, Ruby saw, she and Weiss had not been the first pair to find. Another pair were near the ruin, one black, the other yellow, both with distinctive silhouettes.

Ruby smiled as she recognized Yang and Blake. She activated her semblance, and darted forward.

As she did, she noted that another pair had found the temple: Nora and Ren. Ren looked like he was about to pass out, his lack of stamina in battle no doubt the cause. Nora, meanwhile, was balancing a chess piece, a golden rook, atop their head.

_ I'm queen of the castle, I'm queen of the castle! _

Ruby heard Nora's voice in her head. From the expression on their face, they were singing, and the queen-of-the-castle rhyme was a running joke among the Thorns in Vale.

She deactivated her semblance a just seconds before she ran into Yang, switching back to a happier mood and persona.

“Yang!”

At her name, the blonde spun around, grinning when she spotted who had called her name.

“Ruby!” She threw her arms out to hug Ruby.

“Nora!” The redhead popped up between the sisters. While Yang started back a bit in surprise, Ruby just hugged Nora instead, who hugged her back.

_ Hi, Nora. _

Just then, a loud thud sounded, followed by splintering wood. Ruby glanced around, and located the source easily: Jaune had been flung into the clearing with great force, and, in impacting a tree, had knocked it down, sending wood splinters everywhere. Ruby winced in sympathy for her Thorn.

_ That looked painful. Good thing Jaune has a rather large Aura reserve. _

She sprinted over to him.

“Are you alright?” She asked the huntsman-in-training. He looked slightly dazed, then shook his head. 

“I’m fine… Is Pyrrha here yet?” He asked, as he staggered to his feet.

“No, she isn’t.” Ruby heard a series of odd noises, and glanced up.

At that moment, Pyrrha Nikos ran into the clearing, immediately followed by a very large, scorpion-like Grimm.

_ Death Stalker. Ah, well. At least there’s only one. _

“Now she is.”

A loud sound, similar to a demented bird’s cry, sounded above her, and Ruby looked straight up.

_ Great. A Nevermore. I just had to tempt fate. _

Ruby sighed, and drew Crescent Rose.

“Follow me.”

Ruby shot back to the others, at the same time the Death Stalker sent Pyrrha flying towards them.

“Great! The gang's all here! Now we can die together!” Yang said, her tone heavy with sarcasm.

“Not if I can help it!” Ruby said, and activated her semblance, charging the Death Stalker. 

_ Death Stalkers have strong armor, but they still have weak points. Time to take advantage of a few. _

She brought Crescent Rose up, deactivated her semblance, and jabbed the point of her larger, primary blade into one of the Grimm's eyes, before jerking it out and slashing at a thin gap in the thing's bony armor over a joint. She must have done some damage, because the Grimm smashed its claw into her, sending Ruby flying back several yards.

“Ruby!” She heard her sister yell.

She growled at the Death Stalker, a low, almost feral noise, one that would have been more likely to come from an actual wolf, rather than her. Crescent Rose came up, almost of its own accord, and Ruby triggered several shots. Each one hit the Grimm, but none had any visible effect.

_ Well, that's not going to work. _

Ruby turned back to the others, and was about to activate her semblance when something caught her cloak, pinning her to the spot, knocking her flat on her ass at the same time. She twisted to see what had happened.

_ The Nevermore. Now it decides to get involved! How the does it even do that anyway!? _

She tugged at her cape, trying to tear it off of the Nevermore feather stuck into the ground.

“Ruby, get out of there!” Yang sounded half panicked, and was running full-tilt towards her.

“I'm trying!” She responded, still pulling at the article of clothing impaled into the ground.

The Death Stalker wasted no time in trying to capitalize on the other Grimm's assistance. It surged forward, stinger poised to strike. Ruby's hands left her cape, and she brought her arms up in front of her, focusing her Aura into them in a defensive position.

_ I can block the first two blows. After that… Cross that bridge when I get to it. _

“Ruby!’ Yang screamed, as the Death Stalker began to strike.

A white blur passed next to Ruby, and abruptly the stinger was frozen in midair, trapped inside a massive, thick wall of ice.

“You are so childish!” Weiss stood over her, hands on hips, her rapier in her right hand.

“And dim-witted, and hyperactive, and don't even get me started on your fighting style. And I suppose I can be a bit... difficult... but if we're going to do this, we're going to have to do this together. So if you quit trying to show off, I'll be... nicer.” 

_ You've got that right. Part of it anyway. _

“I'm not trying to show off. I’m trying to prove to you that I can do this.”

“No need.” With that, the heiress walked away. Her partner turned back to her cape, and finally succeeded in freeing herself.

She glanced at the Death Stalker, grinning internally with amusement at the thing's attempts to free itself from its icy prison.

Abruptly, Ruby felt someone hug her from behind. Given the height of whoever it was, she guessed it was Yang, which was immediately verified a second later when her older sister's voice sounded from immediately behind her.

“So glad you're okay.” She sounded as if she had just come down from a panic.

_ Takes more than that to kill me. _

“Guys? That thing's circling back! What are we gonna do?” Jaune's voice broke the moment between the two sisters.

“Look, there's no sense in dilly-dallying. Our objective is right in front of us.” Weiss pointed at the chess pieces, emphasizing her words.

“She's right. Our mission is to grab an artifact and make it back to Beacon Cliff. There's no point in fighting these things.” Ruby stated, nodding at Weiss.

“Run and live, that's an idea I can get behind!” Jaune sounded somewhat relieved.

Ruby glanced at the chess pieces in the ruins, and jogged over to Weiss, winking at Blake as she passed.

“Have you taken one yet?” Ruby inquired.

“Not yet. You can, if you want.” Weiss was inspecting her rapier’s revolving Dust chamber mechanism.

“Okay, will do.” She continued into the ruin, and glanced over at Blake, who held the piece she and Yang had acquired. Blake tilted her hand towards Ruby, who saw that Blake held a golden knight. Ruby nodded slightly, ignoring a slight cracking of ice, then turned and took the other golden knight from its pedestal, thankful that it had not been taken by a previous team. Convincing Yang to put that piece back and take a different one would have been awkward, not to mention dangerous, as she would have had to explain what she knew about the initiation.

_ Then again, I could have had Jaune do it. He’s very good at convincing people to do things without needing to explain why. But that would blow his cover.  _ Ruby mused, looking at the gold chess piece.

She glanced up, shaking off her thoughts, and watched as Jaune grabbed a gold rook, a twin to the piece that was on Nora’s head earlier.

“Time we left!” Ren’s voice sounded urgent, and Ruby noticed the ice cracking had become louder. She glanced up, and saw the Nevermore’s shadow on the ground in front of the ruins as the Grimm circled.

“Right.” Ruby nodded at him, then turned to the others. “Let’s go!”

…

…

“Cover!”

The order came as a massive shadow fell over the 8 huntresses- and huntsmen-in-training as they ran through ruins at the edge of a chasm, the other side a sheer rock wall stretching up several hundred feet in front of them.

Ruby ducked under what was left of an archway supporting what may have once been a roof over a hallway, and glanced ahead. A bridge ahead of the group led to a circular tower in the center of the canyon. The remainder of the ruins that she could see from where she was were the remains of what she guessed had been a massive corridor or a roadway, given the two walls with smaller doorways elsewhere, leading to the bridge.

The Nevermore’s shadow passed the hidden group again, and the Grimm settled on a high column and let out its demented cry again.

“Well, that’s great.” Ruby heard Yang mutter, obviously annoyed. She wasn’t paying too much attention, however, being too distracted trying to figure out the reason for the sound of snapping and splintering wood behind them, and coming to a single conclusion, one quickly verified as correct.

The Death Stalker burst from the trees behind them.

“Run!” Ruby yelled, her tone the same as she used when commanding on a battlefield or on operation with her Thorns, drawing everyone’s attention as she took off at a sprint, heading towards the Nevermore and the tower. The others noticed the Death Stalker almost instantly, and followed her, spreading out and leaving their cover. The Nevermore noticed them immediately, and took off from its position.

“Nora, suppressive fire!” Ruby yelled, drawing Crescent Rose.

The redheaded Thorn grinned, and drew their weapon, a hammer-grenade launcher combination named Magnhild. Currently it was in grenade launcher form, and with it Nora fired a barrage of explosives in a random pattern, doing nothing more than keeping the Grimm off-balance and driving it away temporarily, but then, that was what was supposed to happen. Any damage dealt was just a bonus.

“Check-Six, Valk!” Ruby yelled, for the Death Stalker was bearing down on them.

They dodged to the left, rolling as they hit the ground and twisting to glance backward.

“Fall back! Head for the bridge!” Ruby yelled again. She aimed Crescent Rose at the Death Stalker and fired off her last few shots, providing covering fire, placing them around the Grimm’s eyes. Her instinctive accuracy didn’t fail her, and the Death Stalker reared back.

Ruby dropped the empty magazine, catching it and tucking it away for later refilling, in the same action drawing a new one and sliding it home, drawing the slide back as she spun around to run towards the bridge, chambering a round.

As the group of eight reached the bridge, the Nevermore made its reappearance by smashing into the bridge, destroying the central span, knocking Ruby, Weiss, Yang, Nora, and Jaune onto the section connected to the tower, with Blake, Ren, and Pyrrha still on the side with the Death Stalker.

“Nora, Ren, assist! Weiss, Yang, with me!” Ruby still carried her commanding tone.

Ruby glanced around the the area for the Nevermore. She spotted it quickly, and just as rapidly had her attention yanked away from it by an explosion.

Her head whipped around to the bridge, part of which was in the process of exploding, apparently thanks to Nora using it to launch themself and Jaune at the Death Stalker.

Ruby watched as Nora went on the offensive, causing several explosions, and knocking Blake off the edge.

“Blake!” Ruby yelled. She saw a flash of black out of the corner of her eye, and snapped her head around.

_ Blake! _

The cat faunus had sunk Gambol Shroud’s primary blade into the bridge, and used her momentum from falling to launch herself into the Nevermore’s back, slashing it with both blades before leaping off, landing almost right next to Ruby.

_ That just might work… It's worth a shot. _

“None of this is working!” Weiss yelled, her voice slightly shill.

Yang reloaded her gauntlets and began to reply before Ruby cut her off.

“I've got a plan. Yang, see if you can't get the thing to crash into the cliff across from us, then take cover behind one of the two taller pillars. Weiss, when she does so, freeze its tail to the cliff where it hits, then prepare your glyphs. One to launch something, another set up the side of the cliff. Blake, get to the other pillar, and launch your weapon across to Yang. You're going to be a giant slingshot.” Ruby took her commanding tone again.

“Firing what? And how do you know about my glyphs?” Weiss demanded to know.

“Me, and that's not important right now. Move!”

Blake and Yang smiled at her, and moved to do as she said, Yang almost immediately leaping up to attack the Grimm, rapidly forcing it into the cliff. Blake moved to one of the pillars, and used the recoil of Gambol Shroud’s handgun to launch it into the other pillar. 

Weiss glared at her briefly, before turning to do as Ruby had told her, scowling.

Ruby spared a brief moment to glance at how the others were faring, just in time to watch Nora land, hammer first, on the Death Stalker’s stinger, driving it into the Grimm’s own head, destroying the bridge in the process.

Ruby watched as the four landed safely on the other side of the bridge, Nora and Pyrrha landing gracefully, Jaune in a heap _ -he's never been good at landings- _ and Ren, who landed with grace that immediately disappeared when he fell flat on his face, evidently exhausted.

Ruby tore her attention back to Blake, Yang, and Weiss, who had successfully froze the Grimm to the cliff base, and was now moving into position.

Ruby unfolded Crescent Rose into her scythe form, and launched herself from her perch into the ribbon stretched between two pillars, catching the top of the blade on it, where the sniper rifle’s muzzle was. Weiss pulled her back with a glyph.

“Of course you would come up with this idea.” Weiss voice told what she though of her partner's plan.

“Think you can make the shot?” Ruby teased her.

“Hmm! Can I!” Weiss's tone was confident. A few seconds passed.

“Can't?” Ruby teased again.

“Of course I can!” With that, Weiss launched her, creating her glyphs up the cliff wall as she did so.

Ruby activated her semblance, increasing her speed to that of sound, smashing into the cliff wall in the center of Weiss’s lowest glyph, Crescent Rose’s blade catching around the Nevermore's throat. 

Ruby launched herself up the side of the cliff, Weiss's glyphs assisting her up, firing Crescent Rose rapidly, dragging the Nevermore with her.

She hit the top, and launched into the air. The Nevermore’s head was sliced off by the sheer force exerted on its neck, combined with the Aura that Ruby focused into her blade.

She landed on the edge of the cliff, letting the Grimm's body fall, as rose petals swirled around her.

_ How did my headphones stay on during that? _

…

…

“Russel Thrush. Cardin Winchester. Dove Bronzewing. Sky Lark. The four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team CRDL, led by... Cardin Winchester!”

Ozpin stated, as applause filled the room. 

Ruby clapped politely, but was not fully focused. It was hard to be, when Blake was pressed up against her. Most of her willpower was devoted to not blushing.

Ozpin turned to the next group of students as the newly-formed Team CDRL left the stage.

“Jaune Arc. Lie Ren. Pyrrha Nikos. Nora Valkyrie. The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team JNPR. Led by... Jaune Arc!” 

Jaune seemed surprised at this, but to anyone who knew him, he was pleased, as Ruby could tell by the fact the last two fingers of his left hand curled up to his palm. The rest of his team seemed happy too, as Nora hugged Ren, and Pyrrha clapped him on the shoulder.

“Congratulations, young man.” Ozpin told Jaune.

The newly formed Team JNPR also left the stage, Nora still clinging to Ren.

The headmaster turned toward the last four students still on the stage.

“And finally: Blake Belladonna. Ruby Rose. Weiss Schnee. Yang Xiao Long. The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team RWBY. Led by... Ruby Rose!”

Ruby grinned as she heard this, and smiled even wider as she saw Weiss’s shocked expression.

Yang lifted her into the air in a massive hug. Ruby caught sight of Blake's expression, a beaming smile, one of the brightest Ruby had ever seen on her.

“I'm so proud of you!” Yang said, her voice full of pride, just as she had said.

“It looks like things are shaping up to be an... interesting year.” Ozpin voice was almost too quiet to hear, even with Ruby's faunus hearing.

_ And what do you mean by that, Oz? _

…

…

Ruby sat alone at the edge of the dorm roof, her thoughts occupied by the day’s events, and plans for the future. 

Footsteps sounded behind her. Soft, sliding steps. 

“Hello, My Lady Shadow.”

“Hello, My Lady Ashes.”

Ruby/Ashes twisted around to look behind her. Blake/Shadow stood close, looking somewhat awkward. Ashes patted the ledge beside her, and Shadow sat down next to her, and leaned close after a second’s hesitation. Ashes leaned into her, resting against the larger Thorn.

“How are you feeling, My Lady? Has your chest healed?”

In response, Ashes unbuttoned the shirt she was wearing, letting Shadow see the scar between her breasts. It had barely healed before she had come to Beacon.

“Good.” Shadow’s arm came up, and she gently hugged Ashes close.

“So, what brings you up here, so late at night?” Ashes whispered. She was starting to become drowsy. And Shadow was warm.

“Just wanted to have some time to think. A lot happened today.”

“Indeed.” Ashes sighed. “I'm too tired to think too much right now.”

Her eyelids were very heavy now, and she was about to fall asleep.

“Goodnight, My Lady Shadow.”

“Goodnight, My Lady Ashes.”

Ashes was asleep before the cat faunus had finished her sentence.

…

…

{End Chapter 7}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As Always, please let me know what you think!


	8. Oh, Yeah, I'm Supposed To Have An Impulse Control Issue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for how long this took, and how short it is! That aside, however, enjoy!

Ashes awoke shortly before sunrise, as she habitually did. She yawned, stretched, and stopped dead. She was in her bed, in the dorm room she shared with her team. Which was not the rooftop where she had fallen asleep.

Ashes sat up, and turned to look sideways, across the other three beds, to the second to last one.

Shadow was asleep, curled into a ball on her side. Unlike the previous morning- _ or would it still be night?- _ , she was not twitching or mewling in her sleep. In fact, she had a small smile on her face, which Ashes could see through the other girl’s long black hair. Shadow still wore her bow, not apparently trusting herself to wake up before the others.

_ Of course, I wear my headphones to bed. Usually. _

She almost reached for them, sitting on her duffle bag at the side of her bed, but decided against it. Instead she rolled over and slipped out of bed, her back to the others.

“Ashes?” The whisper was very quiet, and she could barely hear it, even given her highly sensitive hearing. She turned, and saw that Shadow had awoken. Her golden eyes were bleary, and she still seemed to be half asleep.

Ashes slipped over to her, moving silently to the side of Shadow's bed, the edge of which she sat on.

“Good morning, Shadow.” Her whisper was nearly silent.

“Morning.” Shadow sat up slightly in bed, and seemed to wake up further. Noticing where Ashes sat, she blushed slightly.

“Did you… Carry me in?” The wolf faunus queried the cat faunus, who turned brighter red at the question.

“Well… Yes. I wasn't going to leave you there all night.”

Ashes leaned closer to her, and Shadow blushed even deeper, her face nearly scarlet.

_ Shadow… _

Ashes smiled, smooth silver locked with molten gold.

“Thank you for that.”

She leaned so close that she was almost directly over the other girl, who had turned a deep scarlet.

Ashes wanted to tell her how she felt. She wanted to so badly her chest ached. But she didn't know if Shadow felt the same. She thought the other girl did, judging by her reaction to Ashes’ proximity, but, not being sure, she wouldn't take the first action.

Just then, Yang began to stir. Ashes glanced over at her sister, who seemed to be beginning to wake up.

“We'll talk more later, okay?” She looked back at Shadow, who nodded at her, face still very red. Ashes tilted her head down slightly, to meet Shadow's, who tilted hers up so her forehead met her leader's. It was a common gesture of affection between Thorns, as it was not possible to kiss someone while wearing a full-face mask.

It was Ashes who broke contact first, slipping off of Shadow’s bedside and moving swiftly to her own.

She lifted her bag from the floor, and onto her bed. Opening one of the side pockets, she withdrew a single item from it, and closed the pocket, before placing the hat on her head. Its center section concealed her wolf ears, and its wide, all around brim kept the sun off of her face and part of her neck.  _ I still can never remember what kind of hat this is. _

Ashes picked up her headphones, which she knew she would never get away with wearing in class.

The black and red set was both expensive and had been specifically made for her. The headband had a pair of cutouts in it, leading up to what where, to anyone who was looking on the outside, a pair of speakers shaped like feline or canine ears. In reality, the speakers were hollow pieces of plastic and metal, with the front covered in tiny holes and slits as to both mimic speakers, and to not impede her hearing.

The hat she currently wore would muffle her hearing slightly, but not enough to be very noticeable, or to matter much.

Behind her, Yang groaned, and rolled off her bed, landing on the floor with a loud thud.

…

…

Weiss yawned as she awoke, stretching and turning to the side as she did so, completely failing to notice Ruby crouched on the end of her bed, whistle in her mouth.

Half a second later, Ruby blew hard on the whistle, the abrupt loud noise startling the heiress enough that she fell to the floor.

“Good morning Team RWBY!” Ruby half-yelled, having switched into her exuberant student persona.

"What in the world is wrong with you?" Weiss indignantly demanded from her position on the floor. Ruby didn't answer her. Not aloud, anyway.

_ Quite a few things. _

"Now that you're awake, we can officially begin our first order of business." She continued, hopping off of her partner's bed.

“Excuse me?” Genuine curiosity showed in Weiss's voice, as she stood and brushed herself off. Ruby heard Yang and Blake walk up behind her.

“Decorating! “ Yang's voice was exuberant, and Ruby turned to see her holding a random assortment of things in her arms, mainly posters.

“What.” Weiss’s voice wasn’t even a question, more a flat statement of confusion.

Blake lifted the duffle bag in her hand. 

“We still have to unpack.”

Ruby blew the whistle again, causing Weiss to start and almost fall onto her bed.

"Aaaalright! Weiss, Blake, Yang, and their fearless leader Ruby have begun their first mission!" Ruby put her fist in the air, mimicking the protagonist in one of Yang's TV shows. Blake and Yang joined her in doing so.

_ Why am I doing this? Oh, yeah, I’m supposed to have an impulse control issue. _

“Banzai!” The three of them said in sync.

Weiss groaned.

…

…

"Allllright! Our second order of business iiiiis…” Ruby leapt up to her bed, suspended several feet off the floor.

“Classes.” She consulted her binder, where she had taped her schedule. She didn't need it, but she had to maintain her cover.

“Now, all of our classes are together, and we've got four today, starting at nine, in-”

She was interrupted by Weiss.

“What?! Did you say nine o’clock?!”

_ Yes. _

Weiss continue before she could vocalize her answer.

“It's eight fifty-five, you dunce!” With that, the heiress turned and sprinted out of the room.

_ I am aware. _

“Let's go! To class!” Ruby ran from the dorm room as well, almost colliding with Jaune, as Team JNPR left their room at high speeds, also nearly late.

…

…

"Monsters! Deeeemons... Prowlers of the night! Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names, but I merely refer to them as prey! Ha-ha!"

_ No. Just no. _ Ruby inwardly groaned at Professor Port's bad attempt at a joke.

She was sitting in the front row of a lecture theatre, next to the center aisle. Weiss say next to her, then Blake. Yang sat on the other end to the row, near the door. Posters of various kinds of Grimm were on the digital whiteboard in the front of the room, an axe-blunderbuss mounted on a plaque above it.

"Uhhhh... And you shall too, upon graduating from this prestigious academy! Now, as I was saying: Vale, as well as the other three kingdoms, are safe havens in an otherwise treacherous world! Our planet is absolutely teeming with creatures that would love nothing more than to tear you to pieces! And that's where we come in. Huntsmen! Huntresses..."

The teacher winked at Yang, who groaned. It was barely audible, and Ruby doubted Port heard it.

"Individuals who have sworn to protect those who cannot protect themselves! From what, you ask? Why, the very world!"

_ We know this. _

Ruby was already very bored with the class. Not five minutes in, and she was already drawing in her sketchpad, almost ready to tune out the professor.

"That is what you are training to become. But first: A story. A tale of a young, handsome man... Me! When I was a boy..."

_ Alright. I am done listening for now. _ Ruby had no intention of listening to the professor tell an old hunting story, she'd heard enough of them in the ‘Fang and at Signal. She focused on her drawing instead.

It was a sketch from behind of one of her Thorns, Lady Nightmare. A young woman with many secrets, who was good enough to keep most of them from Ruby. Quite a feat, considering that Ruby ran the largest and most effective information network on Remnant. Not that she’d use it to spy on Nightmare.

While the actual Thorns numbered about two hundred, most held positions of authority, or were blackmailing those who did. The amount of people who worked for or with the Thorns, directly or indirectly, knowingly or unknowingly, was exponentially larger. Ruby didn't have a full count, but there were few secrets she could not learn easily. Military, corporate, governmental, personal, it didn't matter, her Thorns could learn all. Well, almost all.

Which was why Lady Nightmare was such an enigma. She and her twin brother seemed to have appeared from thin air slightly over two decades ago. No past that anyone could find. No apparent reason for joining the Thorns, much less for taking orders from Ruby. Which was one of the many reasons Ruby idolized the woman. That kind of secrecy was something she could take notes from.

She pulled herself away from her thoughts for a second or two, and heard a non- sequitur she almost asked for context for.

"...Despite smelling of cabbages, my grandfather was a wise man. 'Peter', he told me..."

_ What. _

Ruby shook her head and refocused on her drawing. She was working on Nightmare’s sword, unsheathed in the drawing as she stood facing the shattered moon, silhouetted by its light.

_ It is a beautiful weapon. A red blade, much like Fire Dust. Or Wilt’s blade. _ She reflected. 

Her pencil made short, light, rapid movements on the paper.

"Ah-heh-hem!"

Ruby heard Professor Port clear his throat, and looked up.

“In the end, the Beowolf was no match for my sheer tenacity, and I returned to my village with the beast in captivity and my head held high, celebrated as a hero!”

The professor took a bow. A remarkably smooth one, given his girth.

Ruby returned to her drawing, but kept listening.

"The moral of this story? A true Huntsman must be honorable! A true Huntsman must be dependable! A true Huntsman must be strategic, well-educated, and wise! So, who among you believes themselves to be the embodiment of these traits?"

_ The last four, me. The first… Honor is mostly overrated. _

“I do, sir!” Weiss almost yelled. Ruby glanced over. She looked, and sounded, absolutely furious.

“Well then, let's find out. Step forward, and face your opponent!”

Abruptly, a Ruby heard a low, sinister growl.

_ Boarbatusk. _

…

…

{End Chapter 8}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'm sorry for how long this took. Please let me know what you think of it!


	9. Why Did I Bring This Up?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took so long, and is so short! That aside, please enjoy!

“Go, Weiss!” Yang half-shouted, her fist partly raised, exuberance in her expression and body language.

“Fight well!” Blake grinned slightly, waving a small paper flag, apparently as a small joke.

“Represent Team RWBY!” Ruby commanded playfully to her teammate, who stood in the front of the classroom, weapon raised. Weiss lowered Myrtenaster  slightly and glanced at her, apparently annoyed.

“Ruby! I'm trying to focus!" With that, she turned back to the box cage in front of her, which was rattling and emanating growls.

Ruby accepted the rebuke, and leaned forward on the desk in front of her, flipping her sketchpad closed as she did so. “Allllright!" Professor Port called out from his position next to the cage, drawing his weapon. He smashed it down on the lock of the cage, breaking it.

“Let the match… Begin!”

The Grimm within, a Boarbatusk- _ I was right- _ immediately charged at Weiss, who deflected the diminutive Grimm's attempt at attacking her, and rolled to the side.

“Ha-ha! Wasn't expecting that, were you?" Professor Port seemed to be trying to provide both commentary and advice. Ruby ignored him.

At the sight of the Grimm, her smile had faded, replaced with a blank, neutral expression as her Lady Ashes personality reasserted itself, as she guessed it did about half the time she engaged in combat, or saw someone else do so.

Ashes leaned even farther forward, analyzing everything, letting nothing escape her.

_ Boarbatusks have no armor on the underside until they reach a much higher age than this one. _

The heiress charged the boarbatusk as it charged her, her blade aimed dead center at its skull. Myrtenaster ricocheted off of the Grimm's bony mask, catching between the Grimm's tusks. The boarbatusk shook its head, trying to throw off Weiss, who stubbornly clung to her rapier.

Ashes leaned further forward, intrigued by the situation that her teammate had found herself in.

“Bold, new approach. I like it!” Port commented.

Ashes allowed herself a short glance of annoyance at him, then looked back at Weiss, who had been flung sideways, away from Myrtenaster.

"Oh-ho! Now what will you do without your weapon?" The fat professor was still commentating on things, and didn't show any signs of stopping.

Weiss dodged out of the Grimm's way as it charged again, crashing into the front of the first row of desks, knocking itself back slightly, and providing an opening for the heiress to slide across the floor to her weapon, reacquiring it before turning to face the boarbatusk again.

“Weiss, go for the belly. It is unarmored underneath.” Ashes said, her tone slightly commanding. Weiss turned to glare at her.

"Stop telling me what to do!" Weiss indignantly insisted.

_ No. _

Abruptly, Ashes found her attention torn away from the fight by her scroll vibrating. Her personal scroll. She glanced down to check it, and noted why almost immediately. She had a text message.

When she saw who had messaged her, she stopped dead.  _ Cinder Fall! _

_ (I need to speak with you, soon. Today, if you can. It concerns our mutual acquaintance with larcenous tendencies.) _

It took her a moment to process that, but once she had, her reply was almost immediate, as she ignored the sound of Weiss's glyphs being conjured into existence.

_ (I will contact you tonight.) _

Fall’s response came seconds later.

( _ Very well.) _

Ashes allowed herself to breath easy again, and glanced up, back at Weiss, who was coming up from a crouching position, Myrtenaster buried to the hilt in the now-upside-down Grimm's belly.

Ashes was slightly amused by this, as Weiss had once buried her rapier in Ashes’ chest, just as Weiss had now done to the Grimm.

Weiss glared at Ashes as Professor Port began to speak.

"Bravo! Bra-vo! It appears we are indeed in the presence of a true Huntress-in-training! I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today. Be sure to cover the assigned readings, and... stay vigilant! Class dismissed!"

Weiss began storm out of the room as soon as the professor finished speaking.

_ I don't think so. _

Ashes activated her semblance, and blocked her partner from exiting the room, before moving slightly sideways to allow the other students to leave, add more than a few glanced sideways at the furious heiress and the blank, emotionless expression on Ashes’ face.

“You go on ahead, Yang, Blake.” Ashes said, nodding to her sister and her Thorn.

“I'll stay.” Blake replied, sitting on the edge of the front row desk.

“Okay. Don't be late!” Yang teased, and left.

Ashes waited until the other students and the professor had exited the room before she spoke.

“What's wrong with you? Why are you being-?"

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? You're supposed to be a leader, and all you've been so far is a nuisance!" Weiss was almost screaming at Ashes, who scoffed at her. Behind the heiress, Blake glared at the angry girl, her bow, and thus ears, flat against her head.

“What did I do?” Ashes asked, her voice chilling slightly.

"That's just it - you've done nothing to earn your position! Back in the forest, you acted like a child, and you've only continued to do so!"

“Is that so?” Blake spoke up. Her voice was even colder than Ashes’, and her eyes were narrowed into slits. Ashes could tell that her Thorn personality had come to the forefront.

“What do you mean by that?!” The heiress indignantly demanded, spinning around to glare at Shadow.

_ Thank you, Shadow. _

“If she has been childish, you have been worse. You think that you should be leader, don't you?” Shadow suddenly asked.

“I’d do a lot better than her!” Weiss was nearly at a scream.

“If Ozpin thought so, he'd have put you in charge.” Shadow shot back.

“Ozpin made a mistake.” With that, the indignant heiress tried to push past Ashes and leave the room.

Ashes didn't let her, moving to block the door.

“You've spent your entire life getting exactly what you wanted, and now that the outcome has not fallen in your favor, you become angry.” Shadow said, her voice full of venom.

“You really have no idea what leadership is like, do you?” Ashes asked, her voice almost a growl in pitch and tone. She tilted her head slightly, and looked at Weiss with slitted eyes.

Weiss seemed slightly taken aback from the teammates’ abrupt mood changes.

_ She's never seen these sides of Shadow and I.  _ Ashes reminded herself.

“You think you know leadership? Don't be ridiculous. Leadership is a badge to wear, true. But it is also a burden to bear constantly. Leading a Huntress Team like ours is not fun and games. It is demanding, and takes a toll on those who lead. The lives of both your team and those you protect fall upon your shoulders, and yours alone. You determine success or failure, and the consequences of both will weigh heavily upon you, for someday you may be forced to choose between two evils, to choose who lives and who dies.” Ashes told the bewildered heiress.

“Could you do it?” Ashes suddenly asked, locking eyes with Weiss. “Could you sacrifice us to win? To save others? Could you watch us die, knowing that you ordered us to? Could you live with that?” She slid closer to Weiss, still staring into her eyes, searching the other girl's soul. Weiss seemed to be intimidated by Ashes, both her words and actions.

“Could you live with the knowledge that you sent us to our deaths?” Ashes queried, her voice icy, and then sighed, and looked down.

“Leadership mean accepting that you have to make those kinds of decisions. Maybe now, maybe never.”

Weiss didn't speak for a moment, and Ashes glanced up. The heiress seemed almost at the edge of tears.

“You sound like you know what that's like.” The white-haired girl said after a moment, her eyes still glistening with unshed tears.

Ashes looked down again, and didn't say anything.

“You do, don't you?” Weiss's tone had softened immensely.

_ Yes. I wish I didn't. _

The names and faces of the few Thorns who had died flashed through Ashes’ mind. Only six faces. Only six names.  _ Still far too many. _ Four had died in battle. One had died of injuries afterward. One had died of sickness. She had been with all of them as they passed on, had held most as the had died, too. She'd never forget their names and faces, they'd been burned into her memory forever.

_ Why did I bring this up? _

Ashes stifled a sob, but still made a noticeable noise doing so. Unintentionally, the heiress had hit her only mental weak point: her family. Ashes counted all of her Thorns as part of her family, and always would.

“Ruby?” Weiss's voice was puzzled now.

“Ruby, are you okay?”

With effort, Ashes pushed her emotions back, and spoke, her voice tightly under control.

“I'm fine. Just… Bad memories. Don't worry about it.”

Weiss looked slightly uncertain.

“Okay… If you say so. That was our last class of the day, so I'm going back to the dorm. Are you coming?”

_ Why the sudden concern? _

“I'll be along in a bit. I want to talk with Blake, we'll be back in a bit.”

“Alright.” Shadow spoke up from behind Weiss, who started at her voice.

“I forgot you were here… Sorry.” She apologized, her hand rubbing the back of her neck.

“Bye.” The heiress left.

Shadow looked at Ashes and opened her mouth to speak. Ashes quickly cut her off.

“Not here.”

…

…

“I was wondering when you'd call, Lady Ashes.” The voice on the other end of the call was as smooth as velvet, but it didn't fool Ashes fit a minute.

“You said you wanted to talk today. Concerning Roman Torchwick. What is it?”

“Just that he's ahead of schedule… So ours is accelerating.”

_ He has Silence. Of course he is. _

“I think speeding things up any more is dangerous, for all of us.” 

This observation merited a quiet chuckle from the half-maiden.

“Don't think… Obey.”

There was a brief pause followed by Cinder saying something to someone else on her end.

“Just put him over there. The hangover will be punishment enough, I think.”

She apparently brought the scroll closer to herself, and spoke to Ashes again.

“I have to go. Emerald just dragged Mercury in.”

“Goodbye.” Ashes said, and Cinder cut the call. She glanced over at Shadow, who moved in closer, and nearly draped herself over Ashes.

“That went better than I expected.”  _ And you are making me far warmer than I need to be... _

“What were you expecting?” The cat faunus whispered into her ear.

“That Roman had done something stupid, such as getting himself arrested.”

“I think…”

Shadow was suddenly cut off by Ashes’ school scroll ringing.

Both glanced down. 

“Better see what your sister wants. “ Shadow said with amusement.

Ashes took the scroll off of her belt, slid the two halves apart to expose the touchscreen, and tapped the call icon.

“Hey Yang…”

…

…

{End Chapter 9}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'm so sorry this chapter took so long! I'll try to shorten the time between uploads!  
> Also, the next chapter will probably be a flashback chapter.  
> Please let me know how you think this chapter was!


	10. Hello Again, My Psychotic Ballerina

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took so long! Please forgive me!  
> Also, a warning; this chapter is where A Rose's Thorns starts to earn its rating for violence.  
> That said, please enjoy!
> 
> Flashback Chapter 2!

A loud crack sounded as lightning split the night. Blood splashed on concrete as a man in a dark suit fell to the ground, mask falling from what remained of his face, his head completely destroyed by a large-caliber Anti-Aura Round. The men next to him already had a weapon drawn, a handgun, and was crouched low, glancing all about, as rain pelted down.

Ashes observed all of this through Crescent Rose's scope, her natural low-light vision serving her well. The man hadn't noticed the other's death save for the splash of blood that had alerted him, she noted. Then again, she had timed the shot to coincide with the thunder from a lightning strike. Any sound Crescent Rose would make would be drowned out by that.

The second man tried to slip away from the scene, keeping down, trying to hide himself in the empty street’s shadows.

_ That won't save you. Nothing will. _

She shifted herself slightly, bringing faintly glowing red crosshairs over the man’s head. She took a breath, let it half out, and stopped. She waited for six seconds, until another flash of light split the sky. Ashes pulled the trigger, and another thunderclap sounded at the same instant, covering the sound of the gunshot.

The man's head exploded, his mask blown apart, blood and gore arcing away from what little remained of his shattered skull. He flopped to the sidewalk like a puppet with its strings cut, his weapon falling to the ground beside him.

“Patrol one is down.” She spoke softly, her voice picked up the the scroll connection in her mask, relaying it to her Thorns.

_ Two more traitors who won't be blowing up any civilians anymore. _

“Understood.” Lady Ice also spoke quietly, though she didn’t need to. There was no noise bleed from the headsets, and she was far away from the area, playing control and coordinating the pairs of Thorns present.

“Status on the others?” Shadow asked, rising up from behind Ashes, Gambol Shroud drawn, as if she expected battle.

_ But then, she always does. _

“Lord Sun and Lady Dust have already eliminated patrols five and eight, Ladies Marionette and Nightmare have eliminated patrols four and six, Lady Silence and Lord Day have yet to contact any patrols, and Ladies Flower and Thunder have eliminated patrol three.” A brief pause followed this, before Ice spoke again. “Next patrol is in forty seconds.”

“We’ll intercept them.”

Ashes turned to Shadow and nodded, before indicating the street below.

Shadow dipped her head in acknowledgement, before sliding to the side of the building and effortlessly dropping down the side of the fire escape, Ashes close behind.

They were hunting traitors to the White Fang, defectors who had formed their own splinter group. While normally this would be tolerated, this particular group had began targeting civilians, something neither Ashes, her Thorns, nor Adam could allow. Ashes had taken nine of her Lords and Ladies, and had gone hunting. A message had to be sent; that while one could leave the Fang, attacking civilian targets would bring the wrath of those you left behind down upon you.

_ Terrorists we may be called, but true terrorist we make targets for ourselves. _

Ashes and Shadow shot out of the alleyway, moving rapidly down the street, weapons drawn, as Ashes converted Crescent Rose into her sword form, ignoring the coppery scent of blood.

Her head-up display highlighted a side-street as Ice marked it. 

_ Note to self: hire the tech who made these HUDs and the scroll connections. _

She rounded the corner, blade raised. Halfway down the street, partly obscured in the rain, another pair of figures _ -female, from the shape _ -moved, pace slow, in her and Shadow's direction.

Both figures noticed the Thorns immediately, raising weapons almost instantly.

Ashes and Shadow charged forward, not giving the two any time to fire.

One dropped her weapon, and drew another, a sword of some kind. She never got a chance to use it, as Ashes slammed into her, Crescent Rose held at her own head's height, blade biting into the woman's chest, before Ashes yanked Crescent Rose to the side, slashing in a wide arc, killing the woman almost instantly, blood splashing everywhere.

Ashes glanced sideways, at the other woman, and saw Shadow pulling Gambol Shroud from the woman's head, the blade all the way through, blood running down in streams.

“Patrol down.”

Her voice was perfectly steady, as if she hadn't just killed anyone face-to-face. Or at least, hadn't felt anything about doing so, which, to be fair, she didn't.

“Well done. One patrol remaining.”

“Just one? That happened to the other?” Shadow asked. 

“Lady Silence and Lord Day caught up to them.”

Ashes smiled under her mask.

_ Maybe killing someone will calm down Silence for a while. _

“Location on the last?” She queried.

“Inside the building next to you on your right, top floor.”

Ashes grinned, sheathed Crescent Rose, and grabbed Shadow, arms locked around the cat faunus’s chest. She felt her face heat up from the contact, but pushed it out of her mind.

“Up we go.” She whispered, and activated her semblance, suppressing the tell-tale burst of rose petals, launching herself upwards, carrying Shadow with her to the top of the building.

She left go of Shadow almost as soon as she hit the roof. It wouldn't do for her to self-incapacitate, which was, she had to admit, likely if she held on to Shadow for any length of time.

Still, she had to force away mental images of her simply standing in Shadow's embrace, and drew Crescent Rose again.

“Let's go.” She whispered, and moved across the roof, avoiding planters- _ A garden? Up here? Well, then- _ to the stairs leading down, into the building. She stopped abruptly, ears pricked up under the black hood of her cloak. 

A series of metal-on-metal clashes echoed up the stairway, as she stood and listened. She twisted back to glance at Shadow, who stopped beside and slightly behind her.

Shadow's cat ears twitched slightly under her hood, and she drew Gambol Shroud’s secondary blade, the sheath for the primary one, pulling the weapon off of her back in a single swift motion.

Ashes shot down the staircase, knocking the door to the top level off of its hinges with her shoulder, glancing all about her and taking in the scene rapidly.

Lord Day was lying facedown near a wall, slowly trying to stand, his rifle several feet away. _ He never has learned to fight in melee. _

Lady Silence stood a few feet away from him, her thin blade soaked in blood to the hilt, its sheath in her other hand. She turned to Ashes, tilted her head, and spun around once, in a full turn, her way of greeting people when she was feeling whimsical, her currently-pink left eye providing an interesting contrast to her currently-green right one.

_ Hello again, my psychotic ballerina. _

Ashes glanced down, and noted that Silence was standing in a puddle of blood, no doubt the cause of her whimsical mood. The blood in question seemed to be coming from a man in a dark suit, whose head lay separate from his body.

She glanced around, and didn't see the other member of the patrol.

“Where is the other one?” Ashes questioned Silence, who spun around and pointed to a nearby door.

Ashes walked over, pulled it open, and immediately ducked to the side as a pair of knives sliced through the space she had just been standing in, imbedding themselves in the wall opposite the door.

Ashes glanced behind her, to see Shadow right behind her. Behind Shadow, Day had regained his feet, and was moving to stack up behind Shadow. Silence had sheathed her sword, and had opened up the parasol/umbrella on the end.

Ashes turned back to the door, and focused her senses. She heard rapid breathing, a rustle of clothing, and metal-on-metal scraping. She smelled a sharp tang of fear, mixed with the coppery scent of blood.

She tapped the wall three times, then activated her semblance, willing herself to suppress the burst of rose petals that accompanied its activation.

Ashes shot into the room, analyzing the situation at a glance. The last member to the splinter group stood on the other end of the room, in front of a window. Blood ran down her face from a cut over her left eye, and from a gash across half her chest.

Ashes moved rapidly, using her tried-and-true tactic of impacting her opponents at half the speed of sound.

The impact launched the young woman off of her feet, knocking her through the window, which shattered, offering little resistance as the woman began to fall the six stories to the ground. Ruby deactivated her semblance, again suppressing the rose petal burst. She had no desire to watch the woman fall in slow motion.

A few seconds passed before she heard a sickening crunch over the sound of the rain, which seemed to be lightening up slightly.

Ashes walked to the broken window, and looked down, at the street below.

The woman’s body lay half on the sidewalk, half in the street. At the distance to the street, with the rain in the way, Ashes couldn't see any details, save for the spreading pool of blood.

She turned away, and spoke into her mask.

"Patrol down. “

“That's all of them.” Ice confirmed, as Shadow entered the room.

“Hey, Ashes?” Ice asked.

“Yes?”

“I've got something you might find interesting.”

“On?”

“A man you've had a target placed on for quite a while. My father.”

“Tell me when I get back, we'll discuss it then.”

“Understood. Lady Ice, signing off.”

_ No need to do that. _

“Huh.” This came from Shadow, a few seconds before she punched the air.

“What is it?” Ashes and Day inquired at the same time, as Day entered the room.

“I just received my letter of acceptance to Beacon Academy.” Shadow sounded pleased.

Ashes smiled at this news.

“Excellent, and congratulations. That bodes well for our plans, and is not an insignificant achievement.”

“Indeed, it does, and thank you.” Shadow replied.

Ashes nodded at her, and activated her mask's scroll connection to all of her Thorns in the area.

“Let's get going back. Someone will find the bodies soon, and I don't want to be here when they do.”

…

…

{End Chapter 10}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please let me know what you think!


	11. Well, Looks Like I Have Some Explaining To Do

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took so long!  
> Please enjoy!

As Ruby and Blake walked into the dorm, the first thing Ruby noticed was Yang, pacing back and forth across the room, arms clasped behind her back.

“Hey Yang. What's wrong?” Ruby asked, curious.

Yang stopped immediately, turning to look at Ruby, her arms falling to her sides for a moment before she stepped forward, grasping Ruby by her shoulder.

“Can we talk? Alone?” She asked, her voice a mix between concern and a growl, half-glaring at Blake.

“Do we need to?” Ruby asked, catching the glare and its meaning, dropping her tone to one icy cold, a voice that almost froze Yang in her tracks.

Yang softened slightly, apparently seeing that behaving like this wasn't going to get Ruby to cooperate with her.

“Yeah, I think we should.” She sighed. “Come on, Ruby.” She walked past Blake, heading towards the door.

Ruby glanced back into the room. Weiss sat on her bed, watching Yang with interest… And Ruby and Blake with mild concern.

Ruby followed Yang out of the room, exchanging a glance with Blake on her way out of the room.

“So where are we going?” Ruby asked her sister, her voice changed to a bored, neutral tone.

“The roof.” Yang said over her shoulder. “Less chance someone will interrupt.”

“And why do you care about that?” Ruby queried, her voice not reflecting her thoughts and feelings. Yang didn't reply.

_ I should have known. Weiss told you, didn't she? _

The two arrived at the roof a few minutes later. Yang walked to the edge of the roof and looked down, not speaking for several seconds. Ruby walked to the side and leaned against the wall, hands clasped behind her back, her hat in her right, leaving her left free.

Ruby broke the awkward silence first.

“So, what did you you want to talk about so urgently?”

“You spoke to Weiss today after Port's class. Weiss told me some of the things you and Blake said.” She turned to Ruby, her face and voice accusing.

“So?” Ruby asked “What did she tell you, exactly?”

“She told me enough to make me start asking questions that I realized I didn't know the answers to. And taking your last two disappearances into consideration, that scares me. You disappear for days or weeks at a time, and come home almost dead, covered in blood, and refusing to say what happened, and now, taking what you've said to Weiss into consideration, leaves me with far more questions than answers, questions the only answers that I can think of scare me to death. So I need to know, and answer this truthfully; are you a member of the White Fang?”

Ruby didn't say anything for several seconds, looking down, not meeting her sister's face. She couldn't say that she hadn't expected this line of questioning, but the pain and desperation and accusation in Yang's voice hurt her, too.

_ I never really have thought of how my father and Yang felt… I know how Qrow feels, and I can guess how Raven feels… I'm sorry, Yang. But… How can I tell you the truth about this? Lives are riding on me, even now, far more that just us and our team. And telling you would put you in danger. One false step, one careless word would make you a target for a woman even I dare not go blade-to-blade with. And I don't think I could protect you from her and her associates. I'm sorry, Yang. Forgive me for this lie. _

Ruby looked up, and opened her mouth to speak, but her sister cut her off, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“So, do you, or do you not, work for the White Fang?”

“No, I don't work for them.” Ruby replied, relieved that Yang had changed the question to one she could answer and not lie when answering.

_ Actually, they work for me. _

Yang took half a second to process this answer, then slumped forward and began to walk toward Ruby, relieved.

“I'm so glad.” She whispered, quiet enough that Ruby could barely hear her, even with her faunus hearing and her hat off.

Ruby pushed herself off the wall, plopped her hat back on her head, and walked forward, meeting Yang in a hug.

“I'm so glad.” Yang whispered again.

…

…

Ashes leaned sideways in her seat, bored with the practice match occurring in front of her. Jaune losing a match was nothing new, and she half-wondered why she flipped personality when this happened anymore.

He never had learned to fight in melee, so why he decided to bring his grandfather's sword to Beacon as his main weapon was beyond her. He still had the custom-built high-caliber sniper rifle she'd made for him, but he didn't use it as his main weapon. He'd tried explain once, but it hadn't been even close to a full explanation, so she still didn't get it.

Ashes watched as Cardin took a step forward and smashed his mace into Jaune's side, knocking him to the ground.

Abruptly, Ashes’s attention was yanked away from the match when Blake leaned into Ashes, her head slumping into Ashes’ shoulder.

She froze, not entirely certain how to deal with this. Several weeks of living in close proximity had not toned down the feelings she had for the cat faunus, quite the opposite in fact, but it had helped her in dealing her reactions. Somewhat, and sometimes, anyway.

_ Relax, Ashes. _

She took her own mental advice, and relaxed, leaning back into her chair, letting herself tilt slightly in Blake's direction.

She refocused on the match, which was now over, and caught the latter half of another one of Glynda's little speeches.

"Mr. Arc, it's been weeks now. Please try to refer to your Scroll during combat. Gauging your Aura will help you decide when it's appropriate to attack, or when it is better to move to a more... defensive strategy. We wouldn't want you to be gobbled up by a Beowolf, now, would we?”

She seemed to be somewhat disappointed in the young man, as evidenced by the tone and took on near the end of the speech.

“Speak for yourself.” Jaune's opponent grumbled, a large, rather unintelligent brute named Cardin Winchester.

_ Silence, Winchester. You're lucky Blake's preventing me from standing without moving her, otherwise I would challenge you and make you regret those words. _

Ashes glared at him. Normally, she'd pay no attention to insults, but someone insulting one of her Thorns greatly angered her, and Cardin had already given her plenty of reasons for hatred. She forced herself to relax again.  _ He's not worth the time… Yet. _

Glynda spoke again, interrupting her angry thoughts.

"Remember, everyone, the Vytal Festival is only a few months away! It won't be long before students from the other kingdoms start arriving in Vale, so keep practicing! Those who choose to compete in the combat tournament will be representing all of Vale!"

Ashes settled back in her chair to consider this.

_ Indeed. Then we shall truly see what the Maiden of Fall has been planning… And if she manages to circumvent Ozpin’s attempts to keep her predecessor alive. _

Ashes smiled inwardly, a tight predatory grin. She would be heavily anticipating the next few months.

…

…

"So! There we were, in the middle of the night..." Nora said, their blue/green/turquoise- _ What color even is that- _ eyes intense as they spoke to their audience, the other students at the lunch table.

“It was day.” Ren said, her voice tired. 

"We were surrounded by Ursai..." Nora continued, dropping their voice to a whisper.

“They were Beowulves.” Ren corrected.

“Dozens of them!” Nora almost yelled, pounding their fist on the table.

Ruby wasn't paying too much attention to Nora's story, but still listened anyway, glancing up occasionally. Her attention was mainly focused on the sketchpad in front of her, again drawing one of her Thorns from behind, this one a drawing of the Thorn across the table from her, who, she could see when she glanced up, adjusting her hat, was listlessly picking at his meal, distracted.

She studied him for a few seconds, before she spoke.

“Are you okay, Jaune?” Ruby spoke quietly, not wanting to interrupt Nora's story.

"Huh? Oh, yeah! Why?" He blinked and focused on her.

"It's just that you seem a little... not okay..."

“Look, I'm fine, okay? See?” He raised his hand in a thumbs-up gesture, laughing both nervously and quietly, his attention partly elsewhere.

Ruby heard Nora's story stop as they looked over, along with the rest of the table. She followed his gaze, settling on Cardin Winchester and the rest of Team CRDL, who were in the midst of harassing another student, whose large rabbit ears were not in any way concealed, thus showing the reason for the harassment. A slight turn off her body showed her face, one Ruby recognized.  _ Velvet! _

She shifted.

Ashes leaned forward, ignoring the conversation around her.

_ Touch my Lady and I'll kill you. Maybe not now, not for a while, but you do. Not. Harass. My Thorns. Leave her alone, Winchester. Of course, she’ll probably kill you before I do. She does have a tendency to kill when threatened, rather than flee. But here the rules are different, I suppose. _

She suddenly relaxed, tuning back into the conversation around her.

"Jaune, you know if you ever need help, you can just ask." Pyrrha was telling Jaune.

_ Pyrrha, that's just going to make things worse. Jaune is not the sort to ask for assistance. _

“Ooooh!” Nora squeaked, then stood.

“We'll break his legs!” A dangerous glint flashed through their eyes.

“Or kill him.” Ashes said, aware of the reaction she would get from the others. “That's easy to do, too.”

Weiss and Pyrrha looked at her with wide eyes, but the rest simply looked mildly amused, except for Nora, who grinned widely.

Ashes turned in her seat slightly to look at her team. Weiss still seemed surprised, but neither Blake nor Yang showed anything of the sort.

_ Of course, Blake's my Lady Shadow, and Yang knows I have a violently protective steak wider than Vale. _

"Guys, really, it's fine! Besides, it's not like he's only a jerk to me; he's a jerk to everyone." Jaune tried to assure the others present.

As if to vindicate his words, the guffawing grew louder, and became mixed with cries of pain.

Ashes’ head whipped around to look at CRDL and Velvet again. Cardin held one of the other Thorn’s rabbit ears, and was tugging on it.

Ashes was out of her seat before she consciously had a plan of action.

“Winchester.” She spoke with a voice that was colder than ice, and low enough that it sounded more like a growl than anything else.

He turned to her, just in time for an Aura-infused punch to land, knocking him over the table. In a split second she dropped onto three limbs, kicking out with her left foot, catching Dove in the crotch, causing him to collapse in pain.

Leaping back to her feet, she effortlessly dodged Sky's half-hearted attempt to punch her, grabbing onto his shoulders and flinging him bodily into Russel, knocking both back a few feet, and to the ground.

Cardin came up over the table, apparently attempting to get revenge, but Ashes put an end to that with a hurricane kick to the head, again knocking him to the other side of the lunch table.

“Stay down.” Ashes said, her voice the same as before, one hand readjusting her hat, which hadn't, for some reason, fallen off.

She turned to Velvet, whose large brown eyes registered shock for a split second when they met Ashes’ silver.

“Are you alright?” Ashes asked, showing concern as her voice shifted to a more normal tone instantaneously.

“Yeah…” Velvet affected a slightly shaken tone, as most would do after watching a single student demolish another Team in seconds with no weapon.

“Good.” Ashes smiled, before she noticed her team and JNPR approaching, as well as shocked stares from the other students who had witnessed the confrontation.

_ Well, looks like I have some explaining to do. _

…

…

{End Chapter 11}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'm sorry this took so long! But my schedule has now freed up a bit, so gaps between uploads should be a bit shorter!  
> As always, please let me know what you think!


	12. Well, Someone's Feeling Affectionate Today

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry this took so long! Enjoy!

"This is prior to the Faunus Rights Revolution, more popularly known as the Faunus War!" Professor Oobleck informed the class, moving rapidly around the room, coffee mug held in his right hand. He briefly stopped at the front of the classroom, in front of his desk, behind which, covering a massive section of wall, was a map, with pins stuck into it, different colored threads connecting different colored pins. "Humankind was quite, quite adamant about centralizing Faunus population in Menagerie." Continued the professor, who tapped the city in question with the pointer in his left hand. 

Ruby was only half-listening to Oobleck, again drawing in her sketchpad as Blake leaned slightly against her, almost causing her to blush. 

She had finished the drawing of Jaune as Lord Day, and was now sketching Lady Ice, Winter Schnee. She found it amusing that a member of the Schnee family, the White Fang’s sworn enemy, had joined their ranks, and was, in fact, one of the highest ranking members of the Thorns.

"Now! While this must feel like ancient history to many of you, it is imperative to remember that these are relatively recent events! Why, the repercussions of the uprising can still be seen to this day!"

_ And you and I know that very well, don't we, professor?  _

“Now! Have any among you been subjugated or discriminated because of your Faunus heritage?" The obviously-caffeinated professor asked.

_You know the answer to that, at least for Velvet, Blake, and I;_ _a resounding yes in both our cases._

Despite this, Ruby looked up and glanced around the room. Several people had their hands raised, Velvet and Yang included. Neither she nor Blake did, however. They were far too invested in keeping that secret.

She also noted that Jaune was asleep, or nearly so. Ruby turned back to Oobleck, who sadly shook his head at the number of raised hands.

"Dreadful, simply dreadful! Remember, students, it is precisely this kind of ignorance that breeds violence!” He paused to take another sip of his coffee, and continued. “I mean, I mean, I mean just look at what happened to White Fang! Now, which one of you young scallions can tell me what many theorize to be the turning point in the third year of the War?"

Ruby raised her hand, looking up again, readjusting her hat with the same hand as she did so, not wanting to move Blake any.

“Yes?” The professor said, looking at her.

“The Battle at Fort Castle, wherein General Lagune’s forces were routed due to the general making the fatal mistake of underestimating the Faunus’s capabilities, and was thus defeated and captured. From that point onward, the war was no longer going to the humans’ advantage, as after that battle, the Faunus were the ones on the offense.”

_ You know that I know this, you tutored me and the other Thorns on this between missions. _

“Excellent answer, Miss Rose! And, who can tell me the advantage the Faunus had over the General’s forces?"

Ruby heard a sound like something being flicked, immediately before Jaune made a semi-startled sound, causing her to look over at him. Oobleck seemed to take it as a sound of the “notice me” variety, and shot over to in front of Jaune.

"Mr. Arc! Finally contributing to class! This is excellent! Excellent! What is the answer?"

Jaune looked at him blankly for a second, before abruptly blurting out a nonsensical answer.  _ Well, he didn't hear the question, so… _

“Binoculars!”

At this, the class burst out laughing, Cardin in particular pounding his fist on the desk in amusement. Ruby, on the other hand, just looked at him, vaguely disappointed that he had fallen asleep in class. She could see Pyrrha facepalm, and felt Blake do so.

"Very funny, Mister Arc! Mister Winchester! Perhaps you would care to share your thoughts on the subject!"

Cardin leaned back, seemingly to consider the question, before answering something that made Ruby want to attack him. She felt Blake tense up before the slight pressure left her shoulder and side.

"Well, I know it's a lot easier to train an animal than a soldier."

"You're not the most open-minded of individuals, are you, Cardin?" Pyrrha queried him, her tone somewhat angry.

“What? You got a problem?” Cardin retorted.

“Silence, Winchester. Your bigotry is neither needed nor wanted.” Ruby looked at him with cold eyes, her tone far lower than her norm, and even more frigid than her gaze. 

Cardin looked at her as if he had just noticed that she was in the class, and drew back slightly, her beatdown of his entire team still evidently fresh in his mind.

“And anyway, I have the answer.” Pyrrha spoke up again. “It's night vision. Many Faunus are known to have nearly-perfect sight in the dark."

"General Lagune was inexperienced, and made the mistake of trying to ambush the Faunus in their sleep. His massive army was outmatched, and the general was captured, as Ruby said earlier.” Blake spoke up for the first time that class. She turned in Cardin's direction, and Ruby turned to look with her.

"Perhaps if he'd paid attention in class, he wouldn't have been remembered as such a failure." Cardin glared at her for this comment, and began to stand up, before he noticed where Blake sat, and they Ruby's expression was no longer an icy glare, but a vicious smile, as if daring him to try anything. This stopped him in his tracks.

"Mr. Winchester! Please take your seat." Oobleck said, causing Cardin to do as he said, still looking warily at Ruby.

“You and Mister Arc can both see me after class for additional readings." He told the student, adding Jaune as Jaune failed to stifle laughter at Cardin. “Now, moving on!”

…

…

"You go on ahead. I'll wait for Jaune." Pyrrha told the other six who had clustered together near the door. Ren and Nora promptly left immediately after that statement, Nora having grabbed Ren’s collar, and dragging _ -him today- _ off.

“I'll stay, if that's alright with you.” Ruby declared, before leaning against the outside edge of the doorframe, her school scroll out and held in one hand.

“Okay. I'm heading back.” Yang said, while Weiss nodded assent. “What about you, Blake?”

“I may as well see how this ends. I'll stay here.” With that, she took up position immediately to Ruby's right, leaning against the wall, and almost imperceptibly, against Ruby as well.  _ Well, someone's feeling affectionate today. _

“O-okay.” Pyrrha blinked in surprise.  _ Get used to it, Pyrrha. He may be older than me, and human, but as far as I'm concerned, he’s still my little brother. One of them, anyway. _

Ruby refocused her attention onto the inside of the classroom. She didn't turn to look, but began to listen, hey wolf ears pricked up inside her hat.

"You two have been struggling in my class since day one! Now, I don't know if it's a lack of interest, or just your stubborn nature, but whatever it is, it stops now! You've worked hard to gain entrance to this school, and we only accept the best of the best, so I expect you to act like it. History is important, gentlemen! If you can't learn from it... you're destined to repeat it. Pages fifty-one to ninety-one! I want an essay on my desk by next class! Now! Run along."

With that, the unkempt, green-haired professor shot out of the room.

Ruby looked to the side, closing her scroll and sliding it back to its place on her belt.

Jaune exited the classroom first, but almost immediately after was pushed over by Cardin, who stopped to laugh at this, kicking Jaune as he did so.

She flipped for the second time that day, violence against one of her Thorns a sure trigger.

Ashes stepped sideways, behind Cardin, and slipped both hands onto his shoulders, one staying there, grabbing firmly, the other wrapping around his jaw, before she savagely jerked him back.

“Were I you… I’d cease the wanton violence… Lest it be visited on me instead.” Her voice had dropped from her voice as Ruby, and she layered it with an icy, calm tone, at odds with the violence of the headlock she suddenly forced Cardin into.

Abruptly she changed her tone again, swapping the iciness for seductiveness.

“But really, do we need to get that far?” She asked him, the question rhetorical, her voice almost dripping with malicious honey.

Ashes released him, her tone changing to one commanding. 

“Now, get out of here. Now.” She added, as Cardin began to turn back to her, straightening up from the headlock. He caught a glance of her cape, and promptly left, almost running down the hall.

“You know, I really will break his legs.” Pyrrha told Jaune. “If Ruby doesn't beat me to it.” She grinned at Ashes, then suddenly grabbed Jaune, looking as if she had been struck by inspiration. "I have an idea! Here, come with me!" She pulled him along as she hurried down the corridor, Ashes and Blake following her.

…

…

The four came to a stop on the roof of their dorm building a few minutes later. Pyrrha lead Jaune out into edge the rooftop, while Ashes and Blake stayed near the doors.

"Pyrrha, I know I'm going through a hard time right now, but I'm not that depressed." Jaune said, looking down over the ledge.

"I can always be a farmer or something..."

Pyrrha looked at him in confusion for a second or two, before horror began to dawn over her face. Before she could say anything, Ashes spoke up.

“I tried once, did you know that? Not in the same way as Jaune just joked about, but I tried all the same. Failed, obviously.”

Pyrrha started, and turned to look at Ashes. Jaune turned to look, but didn't start. He'd apparently assumed that Ashes and Blake would follow.

“I know.” Jaune said. “I'm one of the ones that found you, remember?”

“Yeah. You, Blake, Raven, and that musician. Four of you find me, that's about all I remember of that, afterwards, anyway.”

Blake pressed herself into Ashes’ side, obviously distressed at this topic. In reassurance, Ashes pressed herself back into Blake. Pyrrha was simply confused.

“You were half-dead from blood loss, I'm not surprised.” Jaune commented, then suddenly frowned. “You did stop, right?”

“Stop what?” Pyrrha asked, immensely confused and semi-horrified.

In response, Ashes rolled up her sleeves, revealing pale horizontal lines across the insides of her arms, far too many to count, some even blending into each other. But none were fresh.

Pyrrha walked over to her, as if to get a better look. She glanced at Ashes’ face, horrified.

“Don't worry, she hasn't in over a year.” This came from Blake and Jaune, who spoke at the same time, then both smiled at it.

“Anyway, your reason for dragging Jaune, and us by proxy, is?”  _ The hell did I bring this up for? Oh, yeah, because I'm a bit morbid when I'm being who I really am. _

“O-oh, yeah.” The amazon seemed a bit sheepish for a second then turned to her partner.

“Jaune, I know you're having a difficult time in class and that you're still not the strongest of fighters, so... I want to help you!"

“Wh-what?” Jaune asked, confused.

"We can train up here after class where no one can bother us!"

Ruby's Faunus hearing caught an interesting sound, like a window opening and someone climbing onto something.

"You think I need help?"

"N-no! No, that's not what I meant." Pyrrha sounded flustered, and a glance at her face confirmed it.

"But you just said it.”

"Jaune, everybody needs a little push from time to time. It doesn't make you any different from the rest of us. You made it to Beacon! That speaks volumes of what you're capable of!"

"You're wrong. I-I don't belong here." Jaune turned away from the other three.  _ Yes, you do. _

"That's a terrible thing to say! Of course you do!" Pyrrha insisted. 

Ashes sighed, aware of what was coming next. Jaune turned back, now somewhat angry.

"No, I don't! I wasn't really accepted into Beacon…” With that, he turned away again.

Wh-what do you mean?" Pyrrha was now even more befuddled, judging from the expression on her face.

"I mean I didn't go to combat school, I didn't pass any tests. I didn't earn my spot at this Academy! I lied! I got my hands on some fake transcripts, and I lied!" Jaune was practically yelling by the last sentence. Only his unchanged volume prevented that.

“What? But… Why?” Pyrrha asked, shocked. She turned to Ashes and Blake.

“You knew, didn't you?” She asked, her voice shocked accusation.

“Yes. We helped him with those fake transcripts.” Ashes confirmed.

“Why?”

_ Now's our only foreseeable chance… Here goes nothing, here goes everything. _

“Come over here and I'll tell you.” Ashes said, nodding with her head towards the door, before wrapping one arm around Blake, and moving in that direction herself, taking Blake with her.

Pyrrha and Jaune followed.

“Are we telling her?” Jaune asked in a low voice.

“Telling me what?” Pyrrha asked, confused, as Blake slid away from Ashes and stood behind Pyrrha.

“There's two things that can happen right now.” Ashes told Pyrrha. “One, Blake and I can leave now, you and Jaune can work things out, and you forget everything Blake and I have said up here tonight. Two… Changes everything. But you may not like what changes, and how.”

“What do you mean, ‘changes everything’? What’s going on?” Pyrrha asked, alarmed.

“Shadow?” Ashes asked.

Shadow drew a concealed sidearm, pressing the barrel into the back of Pyrrha's head. Pyrrha froze.

“The short version is that Jaune, Blake, myself, and several others at this Academy are not who we seem to be. Now, I can tell you more, but then two different options open up to you, while the previous ones close. Join, or die.” She nodded at Shadow.

“Who are you?” Pyrrha asked, her voice quiet.

“My name is Lady Ashes. Her name is Lady Shadow, his is Lord Day.” She nodded at Shadow and Day in turn.

“You’re Thorns…” Pyrrha said, her voice showing what was almost stark terror.

“Indeed. I am the leader of the Thorns.” Ashes said, removing her hat, letting Pyrrha see her second set of ears. “If you don't believe me, I can go get my mask and jacket… Along with my sword. It's actually another one of Crescent Rose's modes, did you know that?” She stared into Pyrrha's terrified eyes as the student realized who she was on the roof with.

“Now, as I said, your options are join, or die. We've had our eyes on you for quite some time, Pyrrha Nikos. You're strong, smart, fast, brave and lucky. All useful qualities. And your semblance, Polarity, increases those massively.”

“How long?”

“Since you won the Mistral tournament two years in a row. I compiled a report on you then, and when you won again the next year, I gave it to Ashes. We've been wondering how to recruit you, and now we have a perfect opportunity, thanks to Cardin. May need to thank the son of a bitch.” Jaune spoke up, his voice quiet.

“Join you?”

“Indeed. How much about us do you know?” Shadow spoke for the second time since they'd arrived on the rooftop.

“Everything that's public, and some that isn't.” Pyrrha relaxed slightly. “I know that you seem to function as White Fang internal affairs, that you have a vendetta against the SDC, that you kill only in defense of yourselves, defense of the public, or to make a statement. I know that you react violently to civilian casualties, not tolerating them at all, that you operate differently from the rest of the White Fang, that you're what's kept them from being murderers, and that they're scared of you, with your twisted sense of honor.” Pyrrha replied to the query.

“All true. You've done your homework on us, I see.” Ashes said. “What do you think of my proposal?”

“Don't have much of a choice, do I?”

“No, you really don't.” Ashes said, amused.

Pyrrha closed her eyes and sighed.

Ashes saw the black glow around Shadow’s gun and heard an odd sound. In a split second, she drew a knife from her sleeve and pressed it against Pyrrha’s throat. The glow and sound disappeared.

“Obsidian blade, hard plastic handle. Your  semblance won't work on this.” She grinned, and spoke again. “So, was that your answer?”

Pyrrha was silent for a few seconds. Then she lowered her head, seeming defeated.

“Very well. Kill me.” Then she looked up, a sad smile on her face. “Just… Please say I died accidentally. Sparring gone wrong, or something like that. I may hate terrorists… But I don't want to cause a panic if word gets out.”

_ No. I'm not finished with you yet, Pyrrha Nikos. _

Ashes took the blade away from Pyrrha throat.

“Stand down.” Ashes ordered. Shadow took the gun away from the back of the girl’s head.

“You're just… Letting me live?”

“For now. But how long you live is determined by how well the secrets you now know are kept.”

Ashes turned, and began to walk away, putting her hat back on as she did so.

“Thank you. For not killing me.” Pyrrha said.

“Don't thank me yet. And don't you and Jaune still need to talk?”

“We do?”

“His fake transcripts, and your proposed training?” Ashes reminded her with an amused grin. “We'll talk more another time.”

With that, she turned, and walked inside, Shadow on her heels.

_ Don't make me have to kill you, Pyrrha. _

…

…

{End Chapter 12}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, now, things are getting interesting.  
> Please let me know what you think!


	13. Nora, I'm Not Sure That's Edible

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this was a bit late and a bit short. I'm sorry! Enjoy!

“Hey Jaune! Long time, no see! You lock yourself out again?” Ruby asked the young man, who started slightly at the sudden voice from behind him.  _ Where the hell have you been? _

It had been several weeks since she, Blake, Jaune, and Pyrrha had spoken on the rooftop, when Pyrrha had learned of the other three's true loyalties. The secrets Pyrrha had learned seemed to have been kept, despite her misgivings on the Thorns. But since that night, the only time that Ruby had seen Jaune was during classes. 

“Oh, uh, nope! Got it!” He raised his scroll, attempting to laugh. She could immediately tell that it was forced.

"So! Where have you been lately?" Ruby asked, putting a slight hint of her worry into her voice. She was worried, and though she didn't usually show it, she tended to worry about her Thorns.

Jaune hung his head and sighed.

“I fucked up. Cardin heard the thing about my transcripts, and he's been blackmailing me about it, and Pyrrha's a mix between terrified and furious and won't even talk to me and...I'm starting to think coming to this school was a bad idea."

_ No it wasn't. It was one of the best you've ever had. _

He leaned back against the door to the dorm room he shared with the rest of Team JNPR.

“I'm a failure.” With that, he slid down to the floor.

“Nope!” Ruby told him, to which he looked up in surprise.

“Nope?” Jaune seemed confused.

"Nope! You're a leader now, Jaune. You're not allowed to be a failure. And you've never been one in the first place. Do you think I'd recruit a failure, let alone make one a Lord?” She crouched down next to him.

“And even if you were, you can't be one now. You know why?”  _ The same reason I can't. _

“The same reason you can't?”

“Yeah, because it's not just about you anymore. You've got a team now, Jaune. We both do! And if we fail, then we'll just be bringing them down with us.” 

Ruby stood up, and offered him a hand. Jaune took it, and pulled himself to his feet.

“We have to put our teammates first, and ourselves second. Your team deserves a great leader, Jaune. And I think that can be you. No, I know that can be you. You've led one of our cells for years. This is different, but it's the same principle.” Ruby clasped the other Thorn on the shoulder. “Good night, Jaune.”

With that, Ruby turned and left, walking down the hallway, catching the sound of Jaune's scroll informing him off an incoming call.

As she turned a corner, Blake joined her.

“So how did it go?” The other girl asked.

“Figured out why Jaune's been disappearing. Cardin knows about the transcripts, and has been blackmailing him about it. He's also back into his inferiority complex, and Pyrrha is not helping matters.” Ashes told her.

“What do you think we should do?”

Ashes sighed, and shook her head.

“I'm not certain. Jaune's mental state is naturally unstable, and the inferiority complex added to Pyrrha apparently excommunicating him… I don't know how he'll respond to any given attempt at assistance.” She shrugged. “He may accept unilaterally, or reject the attempt entirely out of hand.” Ashes sighed again. “You have any idea?” 

“No, I'm… Not the most skilled when it comes to social things.” Shadow smiled slightly.

Ashes pushed open the door the two had come to, and walked out onto the roof. She shivered slightly as the evening chill hit her, glad for the turtleneck and sweatpants she wore.

Ashes and Shadow walked to the edge of the roof, and sat on the edge, side by side, so close they were leaning against each other.

Ashes let her head loll into Shadow's shoulder, looking slightly downward, before a thought came to her. She ignored the feeling of her hat falling off, meeting it isn't behind her as she spoke.

“How much have they healed?” She asked. She didn't have to say what, Shadow knew what she was asking about, and in response, the other girl pulled her sleeves up, showing Ashes that the jagged gashes Shadow had unconsciously clawed into her arms the first night at Beacon had healed completely. There weren't even any noticeable scars.  _ Well, new scars, anyway.  _ In terms of old scars, both had many, Shadow more than Ashes, but Ashes still had quite a few, the one in the center of her chest the most noticeable.

“That's good.” Ashes said, yawning. She was becoming sleepier by the second, and Shadow's presence seemed to help her feel comfortable about sleeping.

_ That's because I trust her absolutely.  _ Ashes realized.

Shadow noticed the yawn, and smiled at the girl on her shoulder, before wrapping one send around her shoulders, moving herself and Ashes so that Ashes found her head in Shadow's lap, lying flat across the edge of the roof as Shadow's legs hung over the side. Ashes smiled up at Shadow, even as she felt herself drop off to sleep.

_ I love you, Shadow. _

Ashes fell asleep in her love’s lap, not certain if she said that thought aloud or not.

…

…

"Yes, students, the forest of Forever Fall is indeed beautiful. But we are not here to sight-see. Professor Peach has asked all of you to collect samples from the trees deep inside this forest, and I'm here to make sure none of you die while doing so."

Glynda said as she led the mass of students through said forest.

Ruby didn't bother to look around at the forest. She had seen it many times, both just to wander around in, and to hunt, both Grimm and people, as a student and as Lady Ashes. It was a beautiful forest, however, and aptly named. The leaves were red year-round on every tree.

Ruby glanced behind her at her team. Yang and Weiss were talking about the forest, Yang pointing out things to Weiss, who seemed to have gotten over her distrust of the faunus. Blake closely followed Ruby, almost stepping on her heels, her head down, apparently lost in thought.

_ I still wish I knew if I said that aloud or not. _

"Each of you is to gather one jar's worth of red sap. However, this forest is full of the creatures of Grimm, so be sure to stay by your teammates. We will rendezvous back here by 4 o'clock. Have fun!" Glynda finished instructing the students, and Ruby heard the sound of a scroll opening. 

Ruby turned to her team, smiling, nut before she could speak, something else caught her eye. Cardin Winchester was carrying a large box, gesturing for Jaune to follow. Jaune carried six empty jars, and looked like he wanted to rejoin his team, but followed Cardin anyway.  _ What are you planning, Cardin? _

Ruby turned to her team, and hurried over to Yang and Weiss, catching Blake by the shoulder before she walked into Ruby, and lead her over to the other two.

“Hey, Yang, Weiss? Could you fill my jar for me? I’ve got to go do something.” She apologized to her partner and her sister, before turning and beginning to hurry after Jaune and Team CRDL. Yang caught her arm before she could do so.

“Where are you going, and why are you going there, and what are you going there to do?”Yang asked her sister, her tone indicating suspicion, and when Ruby looked back, it was plain on her face.  _ She’s still suspicious.  _ Ruby realized.  _ She never got over what Weiss told her I said. Well, she wasn’t lying.  _ She admitted to herself, mentally kicking herself for the lecture she’d given Weiss that first day of classes.

“I’m worried about Jaune.” Ruby admitted. “He just went off with Team CRDL, and I don’t think he went willingly.”

“Ah.” Yang let go of her arm. “Go on, then. Save Jaune from Team CRDL!” She joked.

Ruby smiled uneasily, glad that she was facing away from her team.  _ I may have to. _

…

…

It didn't take her long to find CRDL, they were lazing around in a small clearing, leaning up against rocks and doing nothing else, save for Dove, who was watching something on his scroll. Ruby caught what she guessed was a gunshot followed by an over-exaggerated scream coming from the device, and rolled her eyes.  _ Really? Watching movies during class. _

Ruby sat about fifteen feet above the team, crouched on a split between two branches in a tree. She watched as Jaune staggered into the clearing, carrying six filled jars of red sap. He collapsed as he set the jars down, landing flat on his face. The team around him stood up as he did so, Dove closing his scroll and clipping it onto his belt.

"Hey, great work, Jauney boy! Now that wasn't too hard, was it?" Cardin said, his face a false smile.

Jaune pushed himself up slightly.

“I think I'm allergic to this stuff.” Jaune commented, sounding vaguely sick.

"Greeeeat, great, great. So, Jaune, I bet you're asking yourself, 'Why did my buddy Cardin ask me to collect six jars of tree sap when there's only five of us?'" Cardin said, ignoring Jaune.

"That is one of the many questions I have asked myself today, yes."

“Well, come with us and you'll find out.” Cardin said, grinning, as Jaune stood up.

_ That sounds foreboding. _

Team CRDL grinned the same as their leader, and left the clearing with Jaune in tow.

Ruby followed, staying in the trees.

…

…

_ Nora, I'm not sure that's edible… And you ate it anyway. _

Ruby shook her head at the redhead’s antics, and glanced down, checking to see if Team CRDL had moved yet. They still hadn't, but Cardin now had the box he'd been carrying all day on front of him. Ruby refocused her attention on them.

“Last night, old Jaune here managed to round up an entire box of Rapier Wasps, and now, we're gonna put him to work."

_ That doesn't sound good. _

She turned to the side, and nodded at Blake, who was hiding in the tree right next to the one Ruby was in.

"Now, according to one of the essays you wrote for me last week, these nasty things love sweets. I'm thinking it's time we teach her a thing or two.”

Ruby glanced around, having missed who they were talking about- _ I should have been focusing on them- _ and spotted Pyrrha immediately. Her back was to the ridge Team CRDL and Jaune were laying on.

Ruby leaned slightly forwards, ready to drop down and put a stop to CRDL’s activities.

Below her, the team and stood, Jaune pulled roughly to his feet by Cardin, who shoved the extra jar of sap into Jaune's hands before speaking.

“And you're gonna do it.”

“Do what?” Came the hesitant response.

“Hit her with the sap! Either that, or I'll have a chat with Goodwitch, and you'll be on the first airship out of Beacon." The bully told him.

“No.” And with that, Jaune threw the jar of sap at Cardin, hitting him in the chest.

“Oh, you've done it now.” Cardin laughed darkly, and Ruby drew Crescent Rose as she dropped down from her tree.

…

…

{End Chapter 13}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I've got something to say here. Due to some... Difficulties in my personal life, updates to A Rose's Thorns are going to be less frequent for a while, about every 2 weeks instead of every week for a while. I'm sorry!  
> As always, please let me know how you think the chapter was!


	14. Have Fun, You Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so, so sorry this took so long.  
> Please Enjoy!

Ruby hit the ground with a muted thud, before sliding sideways to a spot between two of the trees, still watching Jaune and Team CRDL, her left hand on Crescent Rose. She was ready to attack CRDL at any moment, but kept herself calm, and waited.

_ Jaune may not appreciate my assistance right now. _

Blake slipped into the space between Ruby and one of the trees she hid near, her body almost pressed up against Ruby's. Yet again, Ruby felt her face flush.

A thud from the clearing distracted her from the distraction that was Blake's proximity, and she looked back out and into the clearing.

Jaune lay in the dirt, with Cardin looming over him, red sap dripping down the bully’s breastplate. Cardin reached down, picked Jaune up by his collar, then punched him back to the ground.

She shifted.

Ashes caught the mocking words from Cardin, and she growled softly as her faunus hearing let her catch every word he said.

“You know that wasn't very smart, Jauney boy." With that, Cardin reached down, again grabbed Jaune by his collar, pulling him up so that the two were face to face. Ashes saw the black eye that Cardin had already given her Thorn, and growled again, her right hand balling into a fist, her left clutching at Crescent Rose hard enough it started to hurt her fingers.

"I'm gonna make sure they send you back to mommy in teeny tiny pieces." Cardin said, seeming to barely leash his anger.

“I don't care what you do to me, but you are not messing with my team.” Jaune stated in response, calmly and somewhat quietly, as the expression on his face went from burning rage to cold, almost emotionless fury. 

"What? You think talk like that makes you tough? You think you're a big strong man now?" Cardin mockingly replied to Jaune's response to him, seeming somewhat amused.

Jaune grinned in response, infuriating Cardin, who drew back to punch him in the face, but didn’t get that far, as Jaune smashed his elbow into the side of the other boy’s head, and followed that up with a sideways kick to the inside of Cardin’s knee, causing him to drop Jaune and twist as he fell to the ground.

Jaune landed in a crouch, kicking out with his left foot, catching Dove Bronzewing in the crotch, before spinning around to dodge an attempted right hook from Sky, which he grabbed after the fist passed his face. His hand firmly locked around the bully’s, he spun around again, forcing Sky to spin as well, colliding Sky with Russell, who had only then approached Jaune.

Cardin stood, fury evident on his face. As Jaune turned to look at him, he drew his mace, holding it out in front of him.

_ That’s not a sword, Winchester. _

Ashes grinned in slight amusement, before she stopped, her wolf ears catching sounds too quiet for the humans to hear, but growing steadily louder. She felt Blake press against her _ -and again I’m blushing- _ and heard Blake whisper into her ear.

“Do you hear that?” It was not so much a question as a request for confirmation.

“Yes.”

As soon as Ashes replied, the thing that had been generating said sounds lumbered into the clearing.

_ Ursa Major. _

Team CRDL fled, save for Cardin, who times to face the Grimm, as Jaune drew his sword and turned as well.

Ashes drew Crescent Rose as she stepped forward, revealing her presence.

Cardin tried to charge the Ursa, failed miserably, as the Ursa sent him flying to the side with a single swipe of its massive paw. It sniffed the air, then turned to Cardin, ignoring the others present, and lumbered over to him.

Cardin stood, and tried to run, failing as the Ursa again knocked him down almost effortlessly. The Grimm raised its paw again, and swiped downward to the prone student, only for the paw in question to be abruptly stopped in midair by the shield of Crocea Mors, as Jaune put himself between the massive Ursa and Cardin.

Ashes heard running footsteps as she lowered Crescent Rose, still ready to step in and assist her Thorn as soon as he needed or requested it.

“Wait.” She said, and put her arm out, to stop _ -Weiss, from the feel- _ from charging out and attacking the Grimm.

“What!? Why!?” Weiss demanded, Myrtenaster raised.

Ashes looked over at her with cold eyes, and Weiss froze, the anger on her face giving way to apprehension. Ashes returned her gaze to the fight in front of them, letting her arm fall to her side.

Jaune had removed his shield from under the Ursa’s paw, forcing it to the side in the process, and as Ashes returned to watching the fight play out, he slashed the Grimm’s stomach and dodged out of the way of the return swipe effortlessly.

_ I suppose he had been learning melee combat since he came to Beacon. Well, he’s always been at least decent with hand-to-hand. _

Jaune ducked under the next blow from the Grimm, before again dodging to the side, and hacking at the paw it attempted to crush him with, removing it from the rest of the Grimm’s arm.

_ Well done. Removing your opponent’s means of fighting back, just as we taught you. _

Ashes smiled as Jaune again dodged another of the Ursa’s swipes, before her smile abruptly faded as the Grimm caught him with a backhand, sending him quite a fair distance.

Ashes raised Crescent Rose, ready to intervene, but stopped. Jaune stood again, and raised his sword, before apparently throwing caution to the wind and charging the Ursa. The Grimm likewise charged him.

_ Jaune, your shield is out of position! _

Ashes was about to activate her semblance, when she abruptly heard a strange, but no longer unfamiliar noise, and caught a black glow out of the corner of her eye. The same black glow surrounded Jaune’s shield, and  corrected its position, rapidly moving it up to block the Ursa’s paw, before allowing the Grimm’s weight to push him to a kneeling position, before he threw the Grimm to the side, and sliced Crocea Mors’ blade cleanly through the Ursa’s neck, cleanly decapitating it.

_ Well done, Jaune. _

Ashes smiled again as she turned to the others, a swell of pride in her chest for Jaune. She had, after all, been one of the three who’d taught him how to fight before they’d all come to Beacon.

“How did you...?” Weiss looked shocked, staring open-mouthed at Pyrrha, who had her hand out in front of her, surrounded by a black glow Ashes had become familiar with.

Pyrrha lowered her hand and smiled. 

“Well, Ruby has her speed, you have your glyphs. My Semblance is polarity.”

“Magnetism. A very useful ability in combat, no doubt. But there are counters to everything.” Ashes said, smiling. Pyrrha started slightly, catching the hidden meaning in Ashes’ words.

Ashes shrugged, continuing on, ignoring the odd look Weiss gave her.

“Now, we need to decide what to tell the others… Or if we tell them at all.”

“What do you mean?” Weiss asked, confused, as Pyrrha smiled and nodded in understanding, before Weiss acquired a look of sudden realization, and nodded as well.

Pyrrha and Weiss turned to leave, Pyrrha looking over her shoulder at Ashes.

“You coming?”

“In a minute or two.” Ashes replied to the query, mentally kicking herself at a new thought. She turned to Jaune and Cardin as Jaune lifted the bully to his feet.

“Holy crap, Jaune!” Cardin seemed somewhat shocked by the last few minutes.

“Don't ever mess with my team, my friends, ever again. Got it?” For a second or two, he wasn’t Jaune Arc telling off a bully. Instead he was Lord Day of the Thorns delivering an order.

Ashes walked up behind the two, and spoke. 

“Cardin Winchester.”

“Uhh, yeah?” The boy seemed somewhat scared as he turned to face Ashes. 

“That night. How much did you hear?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Cardin responded, unconvincingly.

Ashes knocked him to the ground, before stepping on his chest and leaning forward to look him in the eye, and to bring Crescent Rose’s blade near his throat.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.” She told him, her voice pure ice, her gaze no warmer.

“Only… Only that Jaune faked his way into Beacon! And nothing else! I didn’t hear what you led Pyrrha and Jaune away to talk about was! Honest!” Cardin seemed on the edge of panic as she held the weapon close enough to almost touch his neck.

Ashes held still for a moment, before sheathing Crescent Rose in her place on Ashes’ back, and stepping off of Cardin’s chest.

“I believe you.”

She turned and walked away, collecting Blake from her hiding spot as she did so.

…

…

“No Cardin tonight? I thought you two were best buds?” Pyrrha said, teasing Jaune as he stood on the roof of the first-year student dorms. Ruby and Blake sat on the edge, Ruby with her head again in Blake’s lap, and thus Blake blocked her view of the two, or would have, if Ruby’s eyes had been open. And anyway, she was far too tired and comfortable to want to move. Nevertheless, she heard everything with perfect clarity, down to Pyrrha’s footsteps as she presumably approached Jaune.

“Pyrrha... I'm sorry. I was a jerk! You were only trying to be nice, and... I had all this stupid macho stuff in my head-”

“Jaune! It's okay!” Pyrrha cut him off, paused for a second, then continued. “Your team really misses their leader, you know. You should come down! Ren made pancakes! No syrup, though - you can thank Nora for that!” He voice growing slightly softer as her footsteps faded.

_ Sounds like Nora. _ Ashes thought, her mind going slightly fuzzy as she slowly began to fall asleep.

“Wait! I know I don't deserve it after all that happened, but... would you still be willing to help me... to help me become a better fighter?” Jaune asked. Pyrrha’s footsteps stopped for a moment, then grew louder again, before Ruby heard a noise like someone getting shoved. Followed by a light thud and a noise of surprise from Jaune.

“Your stance is all wrong. You need to be wider and lower to the ground. Let's try that again.”

_ Have fun, you two.  _ Ruby was fading into sleep fast now, but her last thought before she fell into it had nothing to do with the pair now sparing on the rooftop. Rather, it concerned the girl who’s lap her head was in.

_ I still don’t know if I told you I love you. _

And with that, she fell asleep.

…

…

{End Chapter 14}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so my issues have been mostly fixed/dealt with, so I should be back to the new chapter every 5-9 days schedule, save for next week, when I may be able to post one every 2-3 days or so. I'm not sure yet on that.  
> Next chapter will be a flashback chapter!  
> Also, I am currently working on another RWBY AU, based somewhat off of Weissrabbit's Grimmdark AU. Chapter one of that should go up early next week! Please look for it then!  
> As always, please let me know how you think this chapter was!


	15. I Gave Her That Ribbon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long, and is so short, but with two fics now, updates might be slightly less frequent. I'm sorry for this!  
> That aside, Please Enjoy!  
> Also: This is Flashback Chapter 3!

“I think she's waking up!”

Ashes groaned, and shifted slightly, before the pain in her chest made her eyes snap open. She tried to sit up, but a strong arm kept her down.  _ Who-? _

She turned her head, and smiled, painfully. Lady Shadow stood at her bedside, looking more worried than Ashes had seen her, save for how she had looked when she had found Ashes after the Schnee Heiress had fled. There were actually tears in Shadow's eyes.

“Are you alright?” This came from behind Shadow, and out from behind the cat faunus strode Adam Taurus, worry written across his features. He wore something other than his jacket, in this case a black and red business suit, and had swapped his mask for a pair of mirrored shades.

_ And I'm focusing on frivolous details… _

“I've been better.” She replied, her chest hurting with every breath. “Where-?”

Shadow cut her off.

“Still in Atlas. Ice pulled strings to get you admitted to a military hospital. The staff thinks you're a Huntress-in-training who got caught in the attack on the SDC. Anyone who knows otherwise works for us anyway.”

“That's not entirely wrong.” Ashes grinned slightly, wincing at the pain. “How long was I out?”

“About a week. 9 days, to be precise.” Adam replied.

“Acceptable.”

She tried to sit up again, and this time wasn't inhibited.

She turned to the other side, checking who had held her down. 

Lady Nightmare stood on the other side of Ashes' hospital bed, her arms folded over her chest. After a second, she sighed and let her arms fall to her sides, before leaning over and gently hugging Ashes. Ashes smiled, and threw her arms around Nightmare in return.

“Never scare me like that.” Nightmare growled, concern very evident in her voice.

Ashes didn't reply, simply giving her mother-figure an affectionate headbutt to the shoulder, and getting one from Nightmare in return.

Nightmare let go, straightened up, and slashed black-and-red portal into existence, which she left through.

Ashes turned, used to Nightmare's sudden mood swings and tendency to leave through her portals, and looked back at Shadow and Adam. For the first time, she noticed that Shadow wore the same thing Adam did, save for lacking the sunglasses, and adding the black ribbon concealing her ears.

_ I gave her that ribbon. _ Ashes reflected. She has given it to Shadow the second time they'd meet, after Ashes had seen how old and damaged the hat Shadow had been using to conceal her cat ears was.

Ashes leaned out over the side of the hospital bed, slid out of it to stand, and hugged Shadow close. Shadow hugged her back, and for a moment, neither said anything, and just stood there in each other's embrace. Then, Adam ruined the moment by gathering both in a massive hug of his own, lifting both into the air briefly.

“I'm so glad you're okay.” Shadow whispered into one of Ashes’ wolf ears as Adam set then both down.

Ashes didn't reply, and just hugged her again, before Adam separated the two by picking up Ashes.

“Damn glad you're alright.” Her older brother told her, before setting her down on the bed. “And by the way, the doc says you aren't allowed out of that bed for the next few days.”

“Not a chance.” Ashes replied, again climbing out of the bed. “Where are my things?”

Shadow and Adam smiled.

“We thought you might say that.” Adam remarked, turning to pick up something behind him. As he turned back, Ashes saw that he held a black duffle bag, which he set down at the edge of Ashes' bed.

Ashes unzipped the bag, and lifted the top item, revealing it to be a long black suit coat. She looked up, grinning.

“You know my style.”

…

…

Ashes snapped the last button into place on her new coat, admiring her look in a full length mirror. The coat was an exact replica of the one Weiss Schnee had ruined several days ago when she sunk her rapier to its hilt dead-center in Ashes’ chest, and thus was an exact save for size copy of Adam Taurus’s coat, complete with red patterns and rose insignia.

There was a knock on the door. Ashes didn't even turn as she replied to the question the knocking asked.

“Come in!”

The door opened, and Ashes recognized the soft footsteps of Lady Ice on the carpet behind her.

“Hello, my Lady. Are you… Alright?”

_ It's not your fault, Ice. _ She knew Lady Ice blamed herself for the disaster that had occurred during the assassination attempt on her father, as she had been the one to bring the opportunity to Ashes’ and the Thorn's attention.

The attempt had failed miserably, and while Ashes had been the only significant casualty, several Thorns had been injured.

_ At least no one was killed, and I was the worst injured. _

She had been wounded when she had encountered Weiss Schnee, the favored heiress to the SDC, and had made the mistake of not taking her seriously. Weiss had shown how dangerous she was by stabbing her Multi-Action Dust Rapier, Myrtenaster, through Ashes' chest and leaving her there to bleed out and die.

And die she almost had. Her memory was a red and painful haze, but she remembered that Lady Shadow, Lady Nightmare, and Lord Stone had found her, almost dead from her injuries.

She was pulled from her thoughts by a pair of strong arms wrapping themselves around her.

“I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.” Ice whispered softly, and Ashes could hear her choking back sobs.

_ There is no need for sorrow. You are not at fault. _

Ashes brought her hands up to lightly grasp Ice’s arms.

“It's not your fault.” She whispered quietly. Ice wasn't prone to displays of emotion, but she was obviously incredibly upset by recent events.

Ice didn’t respond, but Ashes could still hear her trying not to sob into her shoulder.

Ashes let go of Ice’s arms, and turned around in Ice’s embrace.

“It’s not your fault.” She said again, somewhat stronger this time.

Ice again didn’t respond, and the two simply stood there for a minute, before Ice broke away. She took several deep breaths, steadying herself, and walked away, her face an impassive mask as it usually was.

_ I don’t blame you. _

Ashes turned back to the mirror, pondering what to do about the recent disaster of an assassination attempt. She was lost in thought enough that when Shadow opened the door and walked over to her, she didn’t notice until the other girl’s arms wrapped her up in a powerful, but gentle hug.

“I’m so glad you’re okay.” Shadow whispered into one of Ashes’ wolf ears.

_ Why is everyone whispering today?  _ She didn’t vocalize the thought aloud, however. There was no point in doing so.

Ashes again turned in the embrace and wrapped Shadow up in a hug of her own. Again, she stood in place for some time, simply glad that no one had been hurt worse than her, and even more thankful that Shadow had not been injured. Though she’d never admit it, Shadow was closer to her than anyone else, save for possibly Yang and Adam, but in a much different way. She knew she wasn’t very good at sorting out her feelings for others, and thus couldn’t put a name to what she felt.

_ What do you call this? _

…

…

Ashes stopped directly in front of the front door of the Xiao Long household, and turned around. Shadow was almost directly behind her, and Ashes almost collide with her as she turned around.

“Are you going to be okay?” Shadow sounded worried. 

“I’ll be fine. Why are you worried? It’s my family, at least, the part of it without black masks.”

Shadow smiled at this, then looked worried again.

“That’s.. Not what I’m worried about.” She said, her gaze dropping to Ashes’ chest.

“I’ll be fine. I heal quickly, remember?” Ashes smiled, trying to reassure the other girl.

“Even so…” Shadow trailed off, then suddenly reached around to the small of her back, before withdrawing her hand, and taking Ashes’ own. Into it she pressed what she had withdrawn, closing Ashes’ hand around it, and Ashes looked down.

A knife’s handle barely protruded from her closed hand, the blade small and a shining, deep black.

Ashes looked up, questioningly.

“I made that, years ago, when we couldn’t carry weapon made of metal for fear of detection. The handle’s a hard plastic, commonly used in construction, and the blade’s obsidian. I spent quite some time crafting that knife.” Indeed, to Ashes the blade seemed impeccably made. It was small, roughly holdout knife size, but that didn’t detract from it at all.

“Why…?”  _ Give it to me? _ She didn’t finish. She didn’t need to.

“I was reading through some books on pre-Kingdoms era mythology and superstition, and found an old legend on blades like this. An weapon made of glass or crystal represented its maker’s… Well, love. A glass or crystal weapon freely given to someone is supposed to grant small powers, protections, and other related things. One of those is quicker healing, and that if given to someone badly hurt, it is supposed to ensure that the injury they’re healing from is the worst they ever receive.” Shadow looked up and smiled at Ashes, and as gold met silver, Ashes felt her face heat up. She could see that Shadow was blushing as well.

_ Is that what I feel? Love? _

“I know it’s just an old legend, but…” Shadow trailed off.

Ashes slipped the knife up her sleeve, and hugged Shadow close.

“Thank you.” She whispered.

After a few seconds they broke apart, and both were impassively neutral again. At least, as close as they could get with each other, which wasn't very impassive or neutral.

“Adam and I will meet with you again in a week or so with your mask and jacket, correct?” The cat faunus asked.

Ashes nodded, as she turned to the door.

“Correct. You ought to leave, neither Taiyang or Yang know who you are, and I wouldn’t count on a warm welcome from Qrow if he’s here.”

“Heh. So, like normal.” Shadow joked, as she turned and began to leave.

“He’s not that bad, if you catch him in a state other than hungover.”

Ashes could’ve sworn she heard Shadow laugh at that, and then she no longer heard the other girl’s footsteps. 

Ashes took a moment to reassemble her civilian persona, and knocked on the door.

…

…

{End Chapter 15}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that this wasn't the chapter depicting the assassination attempt gone wrong, but as I wrote it, it became more than one chapter long, so that's probably going to come in at where Volume 1 ended in RWBY, so it will go End of Volume 1>>Assassination Attempt Flashback>>Start of Volume 2. I'm sorry for the delay!  
> As always, please let me know how you think this was, and if you haven't already, please go read my other RWBY fic, Death Has Silver Eyes: http://archiveofourown.org/works/7218865/chapters/16383442


	16. I Shouldn't Have Said That

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And another chapter!  
> Please Enjoy!

“The Vytal Festival! Oh, this is absolutely wonderful!” Weiss was practically bouncing up and down in excitement as Team RWBY walked through the streets of Vale. Banners, streamers and other decorations had been hung up in preparation for the Vytal Festival, and for whatever reason, this had the heiress in a festive mood, something that nearly everything else had failed to do.

“I don't think I've ever seen you smile this much, Weiss. It's kinda weirding me out.” Ruby commented, a slight grin on her face as she gently teased her teammate.

“How could you not smile? A festival dedicated to the cultures of the world! There will be dances! Parades! A tournament! Oh, the amount of planning and organization that goes into this event is simply breathtaking!” Weiss said, turning to Ruby, who grinned slightly larger at that.

“You really know how to take a good thing and make it sound boring.” Yang commented, her arms crossed, but a grin on her face as well. Everyone was in a good mood, even Blake was smiling slightly.

“Quiet, you!” Weiss told Yang, but her tone indicated that she wasn't being serious.

Ruby flinched slightly as a foghorn went off, her faunus hearing affected more by the noise.

“Remind me again why we're spending our Friday afternoon visiting the stupid docks?” Yang asked, her eyes slightly narrowed. 

“Smells like fish.” Ruby commented.

_ It's not necessarily a bad smell, or even an unusual one to me.  _ She reflected.  _ After all, one of the White Fang’s safehouses is a warehouse here. _

Ruby leaned forward on the railing in front of her, gazing at the ship in front of her

“I've heard that students visiting from Vacuo will be arriving by ship today. And, as a representative of Beacon, I feel as though it is my solemn duty to welcome them to this fine kingdom!” Weiss responded to Yang's query.

“She wants to spy on them so she'll have the upper hand in the tournament.” Blake snarked, to which Weiss scoffed.

“You can't prove that!”

Ruby glanced to the side, and the smile fell off her face. 

A Dust shop at the end of the street had a pair of Vale Police Force detectives standing in front of it. The glass front was destroyed, and the door was cordoned off with yellow police line tape.

Ruby turned, and began to walk towards the shop, curious. She had her suspicions, but wanted to confirm them.

She heard the rest of the team fall into step behind her as she approached.

“What happened here?” Ruby asked one of the detectives, the one who stood farther from the shop, who was busy writing on his scroll.

“Robbery. Second Dust shop to be hit this week. This place is turning into a jungle.” He told her, then walked over to his partner.

Yang sighed at this news.

“That's terrible.”

“They left all the money again.”

Ruby's head snapped around as she caught the other detective's sentence.

“What?”

_ That confirms it. This was another place Roman hit. _

“Yeah, just doesn't make a lick of sense. Who needs that much Dust?” One of the detectives confirmed.

_ The White Fang… Well, Cinder Fall, with whatever she's planning. _

“I don't know, an army?” The other detective replied.

“You thinking the White Fang?” The first one queried.

_ You're not wrong. _

“Yeah, I'm thinking we don't get paid enough." The second one told the other, removing his sunglasses.

“Hmph! The White Fang.” Weiss spoke up, not to the detectives, but rather, to her teammates. She crossed her arms, and put her face in the air in an incredibly arrogant gesture of dislike.

“What an awful bunch of degenerates!” She continued.

“And your problem is?” Ruby asked, annoyed.

“My problem? I simply don't care for the criminally insane.” Weiss told her, looking down and speaking in a rather condescending tone.

Blake spoke up from behind Ruby.

“The White Fang is hardly a bunch of psychopaths. They're a collection of misguided Faunus.”

“Misguided? They want to wipe Humanity off the face of the planet!” Weiss sounded both slightly confused at someone defending the White Fang, and slightly appalled.

“That just means they're very misguided. Either way, it doesn't explain why they would rob a Dust shop in the middle of downtown Vale.” Ruby told Weiss, her tone annoyed.

“Hmm… Ruby and Blake have a point. Besides, the police never caught that Torchwick guy Ruby ran into a few months ago... Maybe it was him.” Yang suggested, still looking at the shop, her arms crossed.

“That still doesn't change the fact that the White Fang are a bunch of scum. Those Faunus only know how to lie, cheat, and steal.” Weiss said, and put her nose slightly in the air again.

Ruby tilted her head lower, looking at Weiss with more than mild annoyance.

_ Why am I getting so worked up about this? _

“Hey, stop that Faunus!” The yell carried over to the team, breaking everyone out of their trains of thought. The entire team rushed back to the dock to investigate, and were met by the sight of a faunus sprinting down the side of a small ship, pursued by a pair of sailors. Ruby almost facepalmed when she saw who it was.

“Thanks for the ride, guys! Haha!” With that, Lord Sun jumped from the ship to the dock, landing running, and sprinting for safety.

_ Really, Lord Sun? This wasn't necessary. We have plenty of resources available to get you, or anyone, from Mistral to Vale. Then again, you do it for the thrill, so I guess I can't complain too much, as I do things purely for the thrill on occasion as well. _

“You no-good stowaway!” One of the sailors shouted at him.

Sun ran up to a lamppost, which he effortlessly climbed, then hung from by his tail as he responded.

“Hey! A no-good stowaway would've been caught! I'm a great stowaway!” With this, he pulled a banana out of his pocket.

_ Well, you're not wrong. _

Ruby glanced sideways. Yang and Weiss were watching with interest, more than a little anger on Weiss's face, and Blake looked about how Ruby presumed she did. 

“Hey! Get down from there this instant!” A shout from one of the detectives caught Ruby's attention, and turned her back to the situation on the docks, just as Sun dropped his banana peel onto the detective’s face, who threw it to the side in anger.

Sun twirled up to the top of the lamppost, and leapt from the top of it over the detectives, to keep on running, sprinting down the dock and into the city.

As he passed Team RWBY, his gaze fell onto Ruby and Blake, and his face registered shock for a split second. Then, he was past the team, running flat out away from the docks.

“Well, Weiss, you wanted to see the competition, and there it goes…” Yang said to Weiss with a chuckle, who held up a finger as if she was about to make a point in a debate.

“Quick! We have to observe him!” And with that, she ran down the street, the rest of Team RWBY following. 

As they rounded the next corner, Weiss collided with someone, and Sun disappeared from view, having climbed a building.

“No, he got away!” Weiss was annoyed, and completely oblivious to the fact she was on top of who she had run into.

_ Well, well. I'm running into my Lords and Ladies left and right. Hello, Lady Marionette. _

“Uhh... Weiss?” Yang got the heiress's attention, then pointed to underneath her. Weiss started as she realized the she was on top of someone, and thus jumped to her feet.

“Salutations!” Lady Marionette _ -Penny Polendina _ -said, still lying on the ground.

“Hi, Penny!” Ruby responded cheerfully. “It's been a while!”

“So it has, Ruby!” Penny sounded about as cheerful as Ruby.

“Uhh, what?” Yang, however, sounded very confused.

“Oh, I met her a while back. She’s from Atlas.” Ruby turned back to Penny, and offered a hand to help the robot girl stand.

_ I'm also the one who had her created. Well, the one who has Ironwood manipulated into starting the project one of my Lords created. _

“Penny, this is Weiss, Blake, and my sister Yang. They're my teammates at Beacon.”

“Hello, everyone! It's a pleasure to meet you!” Penny told the others, her eyes lingering on Blake, who was concealing a smile.

“Are you here to compete in the tournament?” Weiss asked Penny.

_ You have a one-track mind sometimes, Weiss. _

“Actually, yes I am!” 

“You… Don't look ready for it.” Yang said, an expression of mild confusion on her face.

“I'm combat ready!” Penny assured her.

“Forgive me, but you hardly look the part.” Weiss responded in place of Yang.

“Says the girl in a dress.” Penny snarked back to her.

“It's a combat skirt.” Weiss crossed her arms in defense of her attire.

“I didn't say it wasn't. I'm just pointing out that looks can be deceiving.” Penny responded. Ruby glanced over at Weiss, who had a dawning look of realization.

“If you're here for the tournament, does that mean you know that monkey-tailed... rapscallion?”

_ Wrong countries, Weiss… But amusingly enough, they do know each other. Just not for the reasons you think. _

“Who?” Penny tilted her head.

“The filthy Faunus from the boat! Blond, had a monkey tail?”

“Would you please stop?” Ruby asked Weiss, her eyes slightly narrowing.

“I haven't seen him, and-” Penny was cut off by her scroll ringing. She glanced down at it as she drew it off of her belt.

“I better take this. Bye!” Penny jogged off as she answered the call.

“Would I stop what?” Weiss turned to Ruby, who had her arms crossed in annoyance.

“Stop calling him a degenerate. He’s a person too, you know.” Ruby was getting annoyed.

“Would you like me to stop referring to the trash can as a trash can? Or this lamppost as a lamppost?”

“Stop.” Ruby put distinct anger into her voice.

“Stop what? He clearly broke the law. Give it time, he'll probably end up like those other faunus in the White Fang. No offence meant, Yang.” Weiss added.

“You ignorant brat.” Ruby said, coldly.

“How dare you talk to me like that! I'm your partner!”

“You are a judgemental little girl.”

“What in the world makes you say that?” Weiss tried to sound offended over her anger, but mostly manner to convey anger with her partner and leader.

“The mere fact that you would sort that Faunus boy with a terrorist group solely based on his species makes you just as much of a scoundrel as you believe him to be!”

…

…

“I don't understand why this is causing such a problem!” Weiss told Ruby.

The team had gone back to their dorm room, Weiss and Ruby arguing the entire way.

_ Why am I getting so worked up about this? _

“And therein lies the problem.”

“You realize you are defending an organization that hates Humanity, don't you? The Faunus of the White Fang are pure evil!” Weiss walked over to the bookshelf on front of the window, and leaned into it, glaring at the night sky.

“There is very little pure evil in this world, Schnee, and I can guarantee you, it is not found in the White Fang.”  _ And that is thanks to me and my Thorns, mostly. _

“No, the reasons that they take the actions they do is because if people such as you and Cardin, who discriminate against them. People like you forever then into such measures.”

Ruby almost hopped down from her bed, the only thing stopping her was that Blake had gotten up there as well, and was lightly pressing against her, somewhat cooling her anger.

“People like me? I'm a victim!”

At that, Ruby hopped down from her bed, and stood directly behind the heiress. She opened her mouth to speak, but Weiss cut her off.

“You want to know why I despise the White Fang? Why I don't particularly trust the Faunus? No offence, Yang.”

“None taken, yet.” Yang muttered.

“It's because they've been at war with my family for years. War, as in actual bloodshed. My grandfather's company has had a target painted across its back for as long as I can remember. And ever since I was a child, I've watched family friends disappear; board members executed; an entire train car full of Dust, stolen. And every day, my father would come home, furious. And that made for a very difficult childhood.” She pounded her first on the desk, once, then turned around.

“You want to know why I despise the White Fang? It's because they're a bunch of liars, thieves, and murderers!”

“Maybe we were just tired of those like you pushing us around all the time!” Ruby yanked her headphones off and threw them into her bed, for the first time allowing Weiss to see the canine ears upon her head. 

She realized what she had said a split second later, as Weiss's face registered shock.

_ I shouldn't have said that. _

Ruby activated her semblance, suppressing the burst of rose petals that accompanied its activation, and sprinted out of the room, grabbing her hat on the way out, and trying to ignore the look of shock and betrayal of Yang's face.

…

…

Ruby ran and didn't stop until she reached the Beacon courtyard, skating down and deactivating her semblance, again suppressing the rose petals. She slid the hat into her head, staring up at the statue in the center is the courtyard.

_ I shouldn't have done that. _

Ruby slumped to the ground, hating herself for the brief loss of self control.

“Are you alright, my Lady?” A voice she knew asked. She stood up, and turned around. 

Lord Stone stood behind her, the hat on his head a twin to the one she wore.

“No, Flynt. No, I'm not. But thanks anyway.” Ruby told the jazz musician/huntsman-in-training.

“Come on, then. I know a good coffee shop open all night, and the owner's rank-and-file 'Fang. Let's go see if I can't help you sort out your problems.” Flynt Coal offered with a friendly smile.

“Thanks.” She smiled at Flynt, and the two turned toward the Beacon Airship docks.

“Oh, by the way, Shadow confessed to you yet?”

“Confessed what?” Ruby asked. “And her name's Blake. Mine's Ruby, by the way.”

“Alright, Ruby. And it's nothing bad, but that question tells me she hasn't.”

Ruby glanced over at him. She has an inkling that she knew what he was talking about, but wasn't certain.

“Ah, well. Just means Ice lost the pool. She bet that Blake’d have told you by now.”

_ What. _

…

…

“Well, that's a… bit of a situation.” Flynt said. Ruby had described the situation at length, leaving nothing out, and starting with the minute she had met Weiss again at Beacon. “I'm.. Not certain what to tell you. You may wanna call Blake, though. If the two of you are as close as I’ve seen and you've just described, she's bound to be worried sick about you. Oh, and Yang, too. Older sisters like to worry about younger ones. Just look at Ice and Weiss.”

“Yeah. You're right.” Ruby sighed, and pulled her scroll off of her belt. Flynt picked up his cup of coffee.

“Glad I could help, at least with that. And besides, sometimes just having someone to listen tends to help. And I'm here to help in any way I can.”

“Thank you.” She smiled warmly.

“Any time. Now, you go make your call.” 

Ruby stood up from the table, scroll in hand.

“I'll be right back.”

“I’ll be right here.”

Ruby walked over to the edge of the rooftop, leaned against the railing, and dialed Blake's number.

…

...

{End Chapter 16}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is going to finish off volume 1, and after that, A Rose's Thorns is going on a short hiatus while I finish up the assassination flashback, but that's all going up at once. Also, I need the time to work on Death Has Silver Eyes, and a few RWBY commissions/challenges from tumblr, so look for those on here in the next few weeks, too!  
> As always, please let me know how you think this chapter was!


	17. It’s Been On Your Mind Constantly Since Last Night, And You’ve Known For A While.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so, so sorry this took so long! Too many things to do, not enough time, and and writer's block combined to really mess with me. I addition, this is the third time I've re-written this chapter from scratch, and I finally think it's worth sharing with you.  
> That aside, please enjoy!

“Give me a second, I'm with the others.” Blake told Ruby over the scroll. There came the sounds of conversation over the call, and she could easily hear it.

“Who's that? On the phone?” Weiss asked, sounding surprisingly calm, considering the events of the previous night.

“Yeah. Who?” Yang, conversely, sounded both depressed and furious.

“It's an old friend of mine. I've got to take this, I'll be on the roof if you need me.” Blake responded to their questions, with an answer that wasn't actually a lie.

Ruby waited a few minutes, until Blake spoke again.

“I'm on the roof now. Both of them are still in the dorm room, and where are you, I've been worried sick. We’ve all been worried.”

“I'm at the coffee shop Grey’s brother owns in Vale. Flynt’s with me. I'm… I'm sorry. I just-” Blake cut Ruby off.

“Doesn't matter, you're safe, that's the important part.” She could hear the cat Faunus’s relieved smile through the phone, and her mind went back to what Flynt had said the night before.

...

_ “Oh, by the way, Shadow confessed to you yet?” _

…

Ruby shook her head to clear the thought, and spoke again into her scroll.

“I'm sorry, Blake. I'm sorry for losing my temper with Weiss, and I'm sorry for running off like that. I just…”

“There's no need to be.”

“Thank you. I…” Ruby paused as something occurred to her.

“Do either one of them suspect anything about you yet?”

“I think Yang does, but Weiss doesn't really seem to.”

Ruby sighed.

“That fits with recent events. How are they both taking this?” She asked.

“Yang looks like she was literally stabbed in the back. She's hurting inside, Ruby. I'm sorry to tell you, but she really is. She looks like Winter did when we found you after…” Blake trailed off.

“That bad?” Ruby sighed again. “And Weiss?” 

“She's feeling betrayed too as far as I can tell, but she's… Well, she went off to the roof for a while, and when she came back she was... I'm not certain how to describe it, but both of them are now treating me with a lot of suspicion, so I guess what I said earlier isn't quite correct. Guilt by association, I guess. But, and this is kind of odd, she's also allowing herself to show a surprisingly compassionate side toward Yang. I didn't know she had it in her. She's… Remarkably close to Winter in that regard.”

“Everyone has hidden depths. Even her. I wonder if she called Winter...” Ruby thought aloud.

“Probably not. I don’t think- Hold on, someone's coming.” 

“Who are you talking to?” Ruby heard Yang's voice over the scroll. It was faint, but still recognizable, as was the pain it held.

“I told you, a friend of mine. Do you not trust me?” Blake asked Yang.

“I… I'm not sure who I can trust.”

“And why’s that?”

“You were there! You know why!” Yang abruptly screamed.

“I'm going to call you back in a bit.” Blake told Ruby over the scroll. “Bye.”

“Bye.” With that, the call disconnected.

Ruby looked at the scroll in her hand, sighed, and walked back to Flynt, who glanced up at her approach.

“So, how are things?”

Ruby sighed as she flopped into a chair.

“Not good. Weiss and Yang aren't taking any of it well, it would seem. Yang doesn't trust Blake at all, and while I’m not certain about Weiss, she didn't seem like the type to trust easily, and I'm pretty sure that this broke her trust completely.”

Ruby leaned forwards, her head in her hands.

“Well, you look down.” A friendly hand patted her shoulder.

“I am. Take a seat, Sun.” She gestured to an open chair, and the monkey faunus promptly flopped into it.

“What happened?” Ruby looked up at him, and saw his usual grin disappear as he read the expression on her face.

“Did your team… Find out?” He asked, quietly, leaning in as an attempt at secrecy.

“Yeah. They did.” She confirmed, putting her head back in her hands again.

“Damn. They’re who I saw you with yesterday, right?”

“Yes.” She confirmed again.

“Damn. How’d they find out?”

Ruby slid further into a slump, letting her arms fall into the table, pushing her face into the crook of her elbow.

“I let my temper and impatience with one of them get the best of me, and said some things I really shouldn't have.”

“Ah.” Sun’s chair creaked slightly as if he had leaned back in it. A few minutes passed before he spoke again. “Honestly, I'm not sure what to tell you. My team knows about me, I mean, Nep's joined us, and Scarlet and Sage don't care, so I can't say I know what to say. But hey, if you need support, I'm here, and so is Stone, judging by the fact he's right here too.” 

Ruby smiled at Sun’s words. Even if he had nothing to offer but support, he’d always offer something.

“My name's Flynt, actually, Flynt Coal. Ruby told me earlier that if we're going to talk in public, we should use our real names.”

“That makes sense, and y’know, I thought your name would be something along those lines, Ruby. And funnily enough, my real name is Sun, Sun Wukong. Good to see you again, Flynt.” Flynt chuckled a bit at the fact that both of Sun's names were the same.

_ Well, it's what he chose. _ Ruby reflected. All Thorns had chosen their own names to be used within the organization, and Sun had decided to keep using his real name just to mess with everyone.

Her scroll ringing pulled her out of her thoughts. She pulled it off of her belt, checked the caller ID, and answered, standing up and walking over to the edge of the roof again.

“Hey Blake. That was fast. Things okay?”

“Slightly. Yang's… Really not doing too well, and Weiss still seems like she'd rather stab you again than listen, but Ren was dragged into things by Weiss when I left to talk to you, which is kind of surprising, because Weiss thought that we needed a voice of calm reason. Ren was told part of the situation, and she recommended that we find you before making our decisions on what else to do. So now we're all on our way to Vale to look for you. Is there a place you'll be?”

Ruby took a few moments to think before answering. 

“Yes. The docks where we ran into Sun yesterday. That aside, how are you holding up?”

“I’ve been better. Both Yang and Weiss are treating me like a terrorist. They’re not wrong, but…” Blake trailed off.

“I understand. How long until the three of you get to the docks?” Ruby queried.

“Not long, we’re at the airship docks at Beacon. Don’t worry about the others overhearing, they’re arguing rather loudly about what to do when we find you. Weiss wants you arrested, Yang isn’t sure what to do, just that she’ll decide when she needs to. Weiss wants her to make up her mind.” A slight huff of amusement out of Blake revealed her feelings on the argument.

“Sounds like the two of them. Are you-” Blake cut Ruby off.

“Yang’s coming over again. I’m going to have to let you go.”

“Alright. At the docks in two hours. Bye.”

“Bye.”

Ruby disconnected the call, and walked back over to the table where two of her Thorns sat.

“Things semi-resolved?”

“Not even close, but I’m meeting my team in two hours at the docks where we ran into you yesterday, Sun. Wish me luck in dealing with this.”

“Good luck. You need us, we’ll have our scrolls on.” Both Sun and Flynt spoke in unison, then turned to look at each other, baffled.

“Speaking in unison? You think you’re the Malachite twins or something?” Ruby joked, and left the two staring at each other in puzzlement.

…

…

Ruby leaned against the railing, looking out over the water. A smell of salt and fish permeated the air, the water lapping at the dock was a constant sound. She was rather fond of the docks despite this, as there were rarely people around.

Running footsteps sounded behind her, and she whirled around, taking a step to the side, and dropping into a defensive stance, bringing her right arm up as she did so, her left hand dropping to Crescent Rose. Her sister stopped dead shortly before her.

“It’s you.” Ruby said, relaxing and straightening up, her hands returning to her sides. She leaned back against the railing.

“There you are! We’ve been looking everywhere for you!” Weiss yelled at her, rounding a corner and jogging towards her and Yang.

“Why would you bother?” Ruby asked, carefully keeping her voice neutral. “You made your opinions on me and others like me quite clear last night.”

“Well, I just spent two hours arguing with your sister and thinking about how you’ve been acting since the school year started, and that’s… Tempering my reaction somewhat.”

“Surprising. I didn’t expect that out of you.”

“You try arguing with your sister for two hours and not starting to see her point of view.”

Ruby turned to Yang, who was still standing in front of her, head lowered, with her hair hiding her eyes. Out of the corner of Ruby’s eye, she saw Blake turn the corner and begin to walk over to the rest of her team.

“So what is your point of view on this, Yang? ‘Cause it seems to have calmed Weiss down a bit.”

Yang looked up at her sister, and Ruby felt a brief pang of conscience as she noticed that her eyes glistened with tears that she seemed to be trying so desperately to keep unshed.

“Yang?” She asked, quieter.

“Doesn’t matter. Just wanna know. Why?” Her sister’s voice shook, and she seemed to be trying desperately to avoid crying.

Ruby didn’t answer her for several seconds, just turning to look out over the water again.

“Do you remember that night I ran?” She finally asked.

“Yes.”

“I saw a lot of things that night. I saw people beaten, hospitalized, even killed, now that I think of it, all because of who they were. Just because they were faunus. And no one seemed to care. Even the media downplayed it. A ‘counter-protest against faunus civil rights’ they said.” She scoffed. “It was more of a riot, or a lynch mob. I think the only reason I was unscathed is that I was hiding for most of it, and the few who noticed me thought I wasn’t worth it, or that seven-year-olds weren’t fair game, or something like that. But after seeing that… It made me angry. Furious. I wanted a way to get back at the people who were doing things like that, and getting away with it. Take a guess what happened next.”

“What did happen?” Weiss was the one to ask. Ruby glanced back at her, and saw that the heiress looked appalled, but whether it was at Ruby, or what had happened to her, she couldn’t say.

“I ran. I kept running, and didn’t look back. I eventually met a teenager with a fiery attitude, and hair to match, by the name of Taurus.” Ruby turned around, and again leaned her back against the railing. “And certain you can figure out the rest.”

“That long ago?” Yang spoke up, shocked.

“Yeah. We used to be a peaceful advocacy and social justice organization, setting up boycotts, protests, that sort of thing. We only became what we are now a few years ago, when Taurus took charge after a certain company decided that we’d become too much of an annoyance, and had our leaders killed.” Ruby informed the others, looking at Weiss as she spoke. “I was there when the man they sent came calling. He tried to kill me, too. Good thing Neo’s quick with a blade, otherwise I wouldn’t be here talking with you.”

Weiss had turned pale, even for her. 

“I didn’t…” She sounded disgusted. “How old-?”

“Eleven.” Blake spoke up from behind Weiss, who she walked past and took up position next to Ruby. “I know because I was there too, and I also owe my life to that girl’s skill.”

“Are you… Also?” Yang asked, half-glaring at Blake.

“Yes. Yes I am. I didn’t join the same way Ruby did, though. I guess you could say I was born into the White Fang.”

Ruby glanced at Blake.

“You weren’t supposed to let them know.”

“Yeah, well, neither were you, and I’m not going to let you suffer this alone.”

“Thank you.”

Yang suddenly turned to Weiss, grabbing her by her sleeve.

“You and I need to talk.” And with that, she started to haul the heiress off, who, after a second, went willingly.

Ruby turned back to Blake

“Thank you.”

“It’s no problem. I didn’t want you to be alone in this.”

“Thank you. I-” She broke off there. 

_ Tell her. Go on, Ruby. It’s been on your mind constantly since last night, and you’ve known for a while. _

“Blake, I-”

“You what?” The older girl looked at her curiously, and Ruby knew her face was flushed scarlet.

“I’m not sure if this is the time to say it, but it’s been stuck on my mind and I just want you to know and-”

“Calm down a bit, Ruby, you look like you’re about to explode.” Blake said with a smile. Ruby hadn’t even noticed that she’d began to vibrate. “Now, what is it?”

_ Say it! _

Ruby looked up, shining silver meeting molten gold.

“I love you.”

Blake blinked rapidly for a few seconds, then leaned down and pulled Ruby into a kiss. A short one, but a kiss nonetheless.

“I love you, too.” She told the smaller girl, hugging her close. Ruby closed her eyes, and hugged Blake back. Her emotions were a tangled mess, Yang and Weiss probably hated her and knew that she and Blake were part of the White Fang, but she didn’t care. Blake loved her back. That was what really mattered.

“Uhh, we interrupting something?” Yang’s voice asked, an absurd mix of amusement and contained sorrow, that was rapidly becoming just amusement.

“Oh. Sorry.” Both Ruby and Blake said simultaneously, letting go of each other and turning back to the others.

“We’ve made our decision. Based on the way the two of you have been behaving, and in light of the facts you’ve given, assuming we can verify them, we’ve decided that we’re not going to do anything.” Weiss announced.

Ruby blinked in surprise.  _ Wait, what? _

“I can’t say I expected that. May I ask why?”

“What you’ve told me horrifies me, and now I can understand quite a bit more as to why you’d do what you do. In addition, you’ve stood by you’ve decisions. You’ve not made excuses, you’ve owned up to everything. I respect that. And on top of that, I think that-. Nevermind. That’s going to sound stupid.”

“Alright.” Blake said, a smile evident in just her voice alone, enough that Ruby didn’t have to look at her to know she was grinning.

“Now, this doesn’t quite mean that you’re forgiven. It just means that we’re not going to do anything yet.”

“In other words, you’re watching us to see what we do.”

“Yes that’s exactly it. Now-” Weiss was cut off by Ruby’s school scroll ringing.

Ruby sighed, checked the caller ID, and answered it, putting the call on speaker mode.

“Yes, Jaune?”

“Hey, Ruby. Got your team with you?” Jaune sounded cheerful, but then, he almost always was.

“Yes, why?” Ruby asked, puzzled.

“It’s about lunchtime, and I heard about a really good sandwich shop downtown from Velvet, it’s over by Tukson’s shop. She says it opened up a few weeks ago, and that it one of the better places in Vale. What do you say we all have lunch there, both teams?”

Ruby looked up, trying to keep from laughing at the sudden mood switch.

“I’m for that, that do you guys say?” She asked her team.

“Sounds good to me.” Blake said, leaning slightly into Ruby.

“I’m fine with it. And you, Yang?” Weiss queried her teammate.

“Why not?”

“Alright, I heard all that. Meet in forty-five minutes or so? My team already said yes.”

“We’ll see you then.”

“Alright, later!” With that, the call disconnected.

“Leave it to Jaune to spoil a serious mood.” Ruby commented, provoking amused chortles from the rest of her team. 

“So, everyone cool?” Yang asked.

“Yeah.”

“Yes.”

“Yeah.”

“Alright, good. Now, let’s go get lunch. If it’s by Tukson’s, it’s about a forty-five minute walk anyway.” With that, she turned, and began to walk down the street. Weiss followed close behind.

“Well, this has worked out surprisingly well.” Ruby said, looking back at Blake.

“Indeed it has. We should get going. Come on, Ruby.” Blake stopped leaning on Ruby, took a step in the direction Yang and Weiss were going, turned, and held out her hand to Ruby.

Ruby took it and the two walked down the street, hand-in-hand.

…

…

{End Chapter 17}

{End, Volume 1}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'm so sorry this took so long. Thank you for being patient with me!  
> As I said last time, A Rose's Thorns is now going on a short hiatus while I get Death Has Silver Eyes up the the end of Volume 2, and work on my last unfinished commission/request, which will actually be posted, as per request, both here and on my tumblr (When it's finished): http://justoneofclockworkthoughts.tumblr.com/  
> As always, please let me know how you think this was!


	18. And What Do You Mean By That, Professor?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took a lot longer than I though it would, but as of now, A Rose's Thorns is off of hiatus! Please enjoy!  
> EDIT: I forgot the chapter title! I'm sorry for that, and it's fixed now!

“Whatcha doing?” Yang asked Blake, sliding up next to her.

“Nothing.” Came the response, and Blake shut the notebook as Ruby caught a glimpse of some of Blake’s sketches, the most prominent one being one of her and Blake sitting back to back, heads leaned back onto each other’s shoulders. “Just going through my notes and sketches.”

“Notes? Lame.” Yang commented, catching a grape in her mouth. “The sketches are cool, though.” She caught another grape in her mouth as Nora continued to fling the small fruits at her, and gave them a thumbs-up.

Ruby smacked a binder down onto the tabl e, trying to catch the team’s attention, which she did easily.

“Sisters… Girlfriends… Weiss…” Ruby said, in a mock grandiose military-general fashion, gesturing to Yang, Blake, and Weiss in turn. “As you know, I have a plan. A plan for-” 

“Did you steal my binder?” Weiss interrupted, looking at the binder that Ruby had hit the table with. It was, in fact, Weiss’s binder, with the label duct-taped over, and a new one written onto the tape.

“I am not a crook.” Ruby immediately responded, making a slight joke.

“No, you’re a terrorist.” The heiress retorted, her tone betraying the fact that she wasn’t being very serious. She had lowered her volume, however, not wishing anyone else to hear except for Team RWBY.

“I take it that you’ve grown a bit more comfortable with mine and Blake’s… Allegiance?” Ruby also spoke quietly.

“Comfortable enough to joke about it. Anyway, you were saying?” Weiss gestured for her to continue.

“I was talking about kicking the semester off with a bang.” Ruby said, raising her volume back to normal.

“I always kick my semesters off with a Yang! Eh? Guys? Am I right?” Yang said, everyone else groaning at the bad pun.

“Boo!” Nora called, throwing an apple into Yang's face in retaliation, who glared at them for it.

Ruby sighed.

“Look guys, it's been a good two weeks since the secret got out, and between more exchange students arriving, the tournament at the end of the year, and Blake and I, our second semester is going to be… Interesting. But  classes start up again tomorrow, so I took the liberty of planning a… Schedule for today.”

“I don't know whether to be proud or scared of what you have in store.” Weiss commented, as Yang picked up an apple and threw it at Nora, missing and hitting another student instead.

“Weiss, I learned to plan from a man who's been running circles around SDC Security for years. I think I can plan out a single day.” She grinned, then glanced over at Blake. “What do you think?” 

“Normally I'd ask to sit this out, but you planned it…” Blake trailed off, smiling embarrassedly and blushing. Ruby felt her own face heat up.

“Get a room, you two.” Weiss snarked. “Anyway, however this goes, I think that however we spend this last day, we should do it as a team!”

“I got it!” Ruby heard Nora half-yell.

Weiss stood up before she spoke again.

“I for one think that-” The heiress was interrupted by a stereotypical pie in the face.

_ And here we go again. _

Ruby turned to regard Team JNPR. Ren’s head was in his palm, Nora was pointing at him, Pyrrha had her hand over her mouth, and Jaune was leaning his head into his hand, confused amusement on his face.

Ruby smiled, and grabbed the bowl of fruit.

…

…

“Children, please. Do not play with your food.” Glynda told the students as she put the mess hall back together with her telekinesis.

Nora belched as everyone tried and failed miserably to compose themselves. A few seconds later, Yang re-entered the hall, having been catapulted out by Nora.

Ozpin appeared out of nowhere behind Glynda, and set his hand onto her shoulder.

“Let it go.” He quietly advised, as Ruby readjusted her headphones on her head. She was still amazed that no matter what, her headphones stayed on her head.

“They're supposed to be the defenders of the world.” Glynda replied, sighing.

“And they will be, but right now they're still children. So why not let them play the part?” The headmaster of Beacon asked his second, then turned, and began to walk away. Ruby watched him go, curious. “After all, it isn't a role they'll get to have forever.”

_ And what do you mean by that, Professor? _

…

…

“Hey, Yang? Roll 2d6.”

“Okay, why?”

Ruby set a card down on the edge of the table.

“I just activated my air fleet again. One turn repair time, remember?” Ruby grinned at her sister across the board of Remnant: The Game. Team RWBY were in the Beacon Library, playing on one of the tables off in a corner. Ruby was playing Atlas/Mantle, in part for the irony value, but also due to their faction bonuses. Yang had Mistral, Blake was Vale, and Weiss was playing Vacuo. At the moment, Weiss was winning, but Ruby had a few tricks about to enter play.

“Pretty sneaky, sis, but… You just activated my trap card.” Yang slipped one of her cards up off the table and held it up. Her left hand reached up to rub at her wolf ears, a tendency Ruby had noted that Yang did when she was pleased with herself.

“Nope.” Ruby held up one of her own, causing Yang to scowl, and put the card back down. “And there goes half of your eastern flank.” Ruby grinned at her sister’s amused scowl.

“Well, Weiss, it's your turn.” Yang told the heiress, who was looking at her cards in befuddlement.

“I… Have no idea what to do.” Weiss said, looking up.

“Look, it's easy! You're playing as Vacuo which means that all Vacuo-based cards come with a bonus.” Yang told her, sliding up next to her, causing the heiress to faintly blush.

_...Not sure what to think about that… _

“See, you've got Sandstorm, Desert Scavenge, Resourceful Raider, and since Vacuo warriors have an endurance against Natural-based hazards, you can use Sandstorm to disable  _ my _ ground forces and attack. Just so you know, though, I will not forget this declaration of war.” And with that, Yang slid back to her place.

“Uuh… That’s what I’m going to do, then.”

“Hey! Can I play?” Jaune asked, walking up to the team.

“Sorry Jaune, we've already got four people.” Ruby apologized.

“Besides, this game requires a certain level of tactical cunning that I seriously doubt that you possess.” Weiss added.

Blake, Ruby, and Jaune looked at each other, then laughed.

“What?” Weiss asked, confused.

“Jaune can match almost anyone in tactical ability, Weiss. I know this from experience.” Ruby assured her, still smiling.

“I'm still not trusting you with the good citizens of Vacuo!”

Again, Ruby, Blake, and Jaune looked at each other and laughed.

_ I’ve trusted him with the lives of the actual citizens of Vacuo. And Vale. _

“If only you knew how ironic that statement was.” Sun Wukong commented.

“Hey, Sun.” Ruby greeted her Thorn, and turned to the blue-haired Mistralian next to him. “Good to see you, Neptune. It’s been a while.”

“Yeah, it has, Ruby.” Neptune replied, letting Ruby know that Sun had told him her real name.

“Oh, hi again, Sun.” Yang greeted the monkey faunus. Teams RWBY and JNPR had met him when they had both arrived at the sandwich shop Jaune had brought his team and invited Team RWBY to, where Sun had been standing outside, debating whether to eat there or not. Ruby had insisted that he come in with them, claiming that she wanted to catch up with an old friend.

“Neptune?” Weiss asked, looking at the newcomer.

“He’s an old friend of mine, Ruby’s and Blake’s. Yang, Weiss, this is Neptune. Nep, this is Yang and the Ice Queen.” Sun gestured to each in turn.

“Hey!” Weiss protested the nickname Sun gave her. “Why does everyone keep calling me that?” She added, seemingly as an afterthought. 

“It fits you.” Sun shrugged. “Anyway, I never got a chance to formally introduce you to my old friend.”

“Uhh, aren't libraries for reading?” Neptune rhetorically queried.

“Thank you!” Ren said, throwing his arms up in the air, apparently walking up Nora, who had been asleep next to him.

“Pancakes!” Was Nora’s waking non-sequiter.

"Aww, don't be such a nerd!" Sun joked.

“Geh, geh, geh, geh! Intellectual, okay? Thank you.” Neptune waved at the group. “I'm Neptune."

“So Neptune, where are you from?” Weiss asked him.

“Haven.” He turned to Weiss. “And I don't believe I've caught your name, snow angel.” 

_ And Nep’s being a flirt again. _

“Um, I’m Weiss."

“Are you kidding me?” Jaune asked no one in particular, annoyed.

“Pleasure to meet you.” Neptune replied.

Ruby's scroll beeped softly, soft enough that even with her faunus hearing she could still barely hear it.

“I never took you as the board game playing type.” Sun told Blake, as she looked down at her scroll.

She looked back up, eyes wide.

“Right, well, I think I'm done playing, actually. I'll see you guys later.” Blake stood up, and nearly ran as she left.

Ruby activated her semblance, shot to right behind the cat faunus, and followed.

“Blake, what is it? What's wrong?” She asked as she followed her girlfriend out of the library. Blake angled her scroll so the wolf faunus could read it.

BOOKSTORE OWNER FOUND MURDERED IN OWN STORE

Ruby stopped and took the scroll as Blake offered it to her. A few seconds later, she handed it back, took Blake's hand, and the two broke into a run.

…

…

“Why Tukson, of all people?” Ashes asked, rhetorically.

“I don't know. He left, and was a loose end?” Shadow suggested.

“I made it clear that that wouldn't be happening anymore.” Ashes replied, buttoning her coat. She checked herself in the full mirror in the closet door. Ashes had dressed herself in a more nondescript variation of her usual outfit, with no markings on the coat, her rose flower insignia on her belt, Crescent Rose in it's normal form, and no mask. Shadow was dressed the same, save for the ways both carried their weapons.

“Hey, Ruby, Blake, what's going on?” Yang asked as she walked through the door.

“Don't worry about it. Just stay here.” Ashes adjusted her black hat and mirrored HUD sunglasses, then turned around. “Blake and I are going out for a while.”

“Like hell we're staying behind.” Weiss spoke up as she also entered the dorm room. “What are you going out for?”

“You don't need to know that.” Ashes told her, her voice cold and commanding, stopping the heiress in her tracks. Then she sighed. “Nothing bad will happen. We're not going out for the reason you think.”

“Then we're coming with you.” Yang said.

Ashes and Shadow looked at each other. Though both were wearing mirrored HUD sunglasses, they didn't need to see each other's eyes to know what the other was thinking.

“Very well.”

…

…

“That's… Not what I expected, honestly.” Weiss commented, sitting on the edge of her bed.

“Well, consider it your initation into the world we've been living in for years.” Shadow said, gesturing to Ashes as the wolf faunus leaned on the chest of drawers in front of the window, staring out of it.

“Why did you take us to a murder scene? I know it was your favorite bookstore, but why?” Yang asked. 

“He was one of us.” Ashes said. “He left about a year ago. He didn't want to fight anymore, just wanted to be left alone to run his shop.”

“He was a member if the White Fang?” Weiss asked, surprised. “Every time I've ever come to Vale, I've always stopped there.” She admitted.

“You'd be surprised just how wide our reach is.” Shadow said. 

“We need to start our own investigation.” Ashes said. “I haven't heard anything from Adam in months, and combined with this and the Maiden situation…” Ashes trailed off, then turned around, and again leaned against the dresser.

“Maiden situation?” Yang asked.

“Nothing you need to be concerned with.” Ashes told her sister.  _ Yet… _

“So, why do you need your own investigation, of the group you're part of, no less?” Weiss queried her.

“Things are picking up, rules are apparently being abandoned, and command is MIA, or at least not talking. I'm being left out of the loop, and I hate being left out of the loop.” Ashes replied. “So, are the two of you in?”

Weiss and Yang looked at each other, apparently surprised at her offer.

“We'll take it.” Yang said after a few seconds.

“Good.” Ashes smiled, then pushed herself off of the desk. “I need to go check on someone, then we can start planning.”

“Who are you checking on?” Yang asked, as she reached the door.

“Amber.” With that, Ashes left, closing the door behind her, and nearly colliding with Emerald Sustrai. Glancing behind Emerald, she saw both Mercury Black, and…  _ Cinder Fall! _

“Excuse me, but, you're in the wrong dorm. The exchange students dorm is to the East.” She told them.

“What makes you sure that we're exchange students?” Emerald asked her, hand on hip.

“Your uniforms. They're from Haven Academy.” Ashes replied to her, then began walking, knowing that Cinder Fall had recognized her, of only as the girl who almost foiled one of Torchwick's robberies. “I'm sorry, but I really need to get going. See you around.” Ashes jogged down the hall, then broke into a flat run after she turned a corner.

_ … _

_ … _

{End Chapter 18}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please let me know how you think this was!


	19. I See You, Sun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so, so sorry this took so long!  
> Please enjoy!

“I thought that class would never end.” Blake commented, relieved. She turned to Ruby, tightening the black ribbons around her arms.

“Alright, today's the day. Our investigation begins.” Ruby told the others from her position atop her bunk, which she promptly hopped down from. She narrowly avoided landing on Weiss, who was sitting on her bunk, directly below her partner.

“I'm… Not so sure about this…” The heiress trailed off. Ruby turned to face her.

“You were very sure last night.” Ruby responded, slightly smiling, three fingers on the edge of the brim of her hat. “Besides, it is an investigation of the White Fang. I thought you hated us, and that you'd jump at the chance to check us for weaknesses.”

The heiress sighed, and Yang spoke up.

“Well, we've got a plan, at least. Less things that can go wrong that way.”

“Indeed. Now, does everyone remember their tasks?” Ruby asked.

“We're not children.” Weiss told her, and sighed again. “You and I will head to the CCT and check the Schnee records for any other Dust robberies or inconsistencies. Seeing as I'm in the family, it shouldn't be a problem.”

“The White Fang has regular faction meetings to hand out orders and recruit new members. If I can get in, I can hopefully find out what we're planning.”

“Still make me wonder why you don't just put on your mask and walk right in.” Yang commented.

_ You've never seen my mask… So you don't know why I can't do that. _

Ruby and Blake looked at each other.

“That's… Not an option right now. For reasons we'd prefer to keep under wraps. Sorry.” Blake answered the pseudo-question after a few seconds’ pause.

“I have an old friend on the shady side of town that typically knows everything going on in Vale. Getting information out of him shouldn't be too hard…” Yang said, returning to the previous topic.

“It won't be. I’ve already told him you're coming. He’s fine with it.”

“And how exactly did you do that?” Yang asked her sister. “We trashed his bar the last time we were there.”

“The Malachite Twins work for me.” Ruby dismissively stated.

_ I see you, Sun. _

“Wait, what?” Yang responded, looking confused.

“Don't worry about it.” Blake told her. “Anyway, the plan as I understand it has us all meeting up at Junior's bar to discuss what we've learned at about nine tonight?”

“Correct.” Ruby told the cat faunus. “Let's get to work!”

“Yeah!” Sun half-yelled from outside the window. 

“Sun!?” Weiss actually did yell.

“How did you get up there?” Yang wanted to know.

“Ah, it's easy. I do it all the time.” The monkey faunus responded.

“What!?” Weiss yelled again.

“I climb trees all the time!” With that, he flipped into the room. “So, you've been getting suspicious of the 'Fang, huh? Going to investigate?”

“We are going to investigate.” Blake confirmed, they looked over at Ruby. “It's your call.”

“Get in here, Neptune.” Ruby called out the window.

“How did you know I was up here?” The blue-haired boy asked as he shuffled into the room from the ledge.

“How did you get up here?” Weiss asked him.

“I have my ways.” Both Ruby and Neptune spoke in sync, then turned to each other and laughed.

“Alright, I'll go with Weiss; Sun, you can go with Blake.” Ruby said, gesturing in turn.

“What, you're not coming with me?” Blake asked, her right hand on her hip.

“I'd love to, but there are some things I need to check on.”

“Alright.” Blake sounded somewhat disappointed.

“I'll bring you on a proper date soon.” Ruby semi-apologized. “Anyway, Neptune, you can go with Yang since she doesn't have a partner. Everyone good?”

“Just one question. Why aren't you going with Blake? I could check on whatever it is, and you could go with your girlfriend.” Weiss asked her.

“Long story on that.” The team leader responded. “Sorry, but you're not getting rid of me that easily, regardless of how tempting the offer is.”

Blake grinned from behind Weiss.

“Right then. If that's all, then let's get moving.”

…

…

“The Cross-Continental Communication Tower. Vale's part of Atlas’s gift to the world after the Great War.” Ruby said, looking up at the tower.

“Yes. Random question, how much do you know about the CCT system?” Weiss asked her partner.

Ruby turned to look at the heiress, and smiled in response.

“You know almost everything about it, don't you?” Weiss queried. 

“Does the phrase 'Index Breaker’ mean anything to you?” Ruby replied with a question, and enjoyed the heiress's reaction.

“How… What… You… What… How do you know that phrase!?” Weiss almost yelled at her, eyes wide.

“You would be surprised at just how much I know. Incidentally, how do you know of it?”

“I… Overheard my father and General Ironwood discussing the CCT. That phrase came up.”

“Well, keep it a secret, would you?” Ruby asked her, still smiling.

“You didn't answer my question.”

“And if you don't mind, I'm not going to. I never betray my methods and sources. Sorry, Weiss.” Ruby told her partner, not sorry at all.

Weiss sighed.

“Alright. Anyway, let's get moving.”

Ruby suddenly turned, her faunus hearing having detected heavier-than-normal, slightly metallic footsteps.

“Hi, Penny!” She greeted the robot girl.

“Oh-h. H-hi, Ruby.” Penny looked very worried, and was nervously shifting from side to side.

“What's wrong?” She asked.

“Nothing. Nothing's wrong.” Penny responded, and promptly hiccuped, her indication that she was lying. Ruby immediately turned to Weiss.

“Weiss, go make your calls. I’ll meet up with you later.” Ruby told the heiress. “Follow me.” She told Penny, leading the robot girl away from the CCT.

…

…

“So, what’s wrong?”

“It's the General. He… He ordered me to… Not interact with any of you.” Penny told Ruby, as the two walked along the edge of the Plaza. “And his soldiers have been ordered to enforce it.”

“What do you mean, ‘not interact with any of us’?” Ruby asked her, before stopping suddenly. “He doesn't know about your… Allegiance, does he?” Her voice betrayed great concern for her Lady.

“No… Well, I don't think so.” Penny responded after a few seconds.

“I'll-” Ruby was promptly interrupted by the sound of a hologram system's boot-up notification, followed by the mentioned Atlesian General's voice as the system projected his image in the middle of the Plaza. Six AK-130 Combat Androids stood by the hologram, three on either side

“The AK-130 has been a standard security model of Remnant for several years, and they have done a fine job. Wouldn't you agree? Wouldn't you agree?” The hologram repeated itself. There was light applause from the assembled people in the Plaza, causing the AK-130s to take jerky bows.

_ What is the purpose of this? _

Ruby turned to Penny, who was looking at the androids in the Plaza, her face turned away from Ruby, thus denying her the chance to read the other girl's expression.

“But... The kingdom of Atlas is a kingdom of innovation, and 'fine'... Well, that's just not good enough, is it? Presenting... The Atlesian Knight-200!” With that, the shutters to a pair of large metal storage cases behind the androids rolled up, and six new, bulkier, shinier, and lighter colored androids effortlessly knocked down their predecessors.

“Smarter, sleeker, and admittedly, a little less scary.” The Ironwood hologram stated.

_ Those aren't sleeker… Aaand they're making bodybuilder poses. What. _

“What.” Ruby vocalize her confusion with the poses.

“I don't...” Penny responded, evidently not understanding, either.

“These models will become active later this year, but they won't be alone! Now, the Atlesian Military has always supported the idea of removing men from the dangers of the battlefield. However, there are still many situations that will undoubtedly require... A human touch.”

_ Wait, wait wait Wait!  _ Ruby took Penny's hand, ready to activate her semblance and flee the scene.

“So, our kingdom's greatest minds, in cooperation with the Schnee Dust Company, are proud to introduce... The Atlesian Paladin!” Ironwood's image disappeared, replaced with that of Ruby could best describe as a miniaturized mecha, or perhaps an upscaled set of powered armor. She sighed in relief.

“So, they ditched the manipulator hands for more guns, I see.” Ruby commented aloud.

“Yeah. I don't know why, though.” Penny promptly hiccuped, then hung her head and sighed. “Okay, it was because they couldn't iron out the control system bugs.”

“I'm not surprised.”

“Now, we couldn't have him here for you today, but these mechanized battle suits will be seen defending the borders of our kingdom within the year!” Ironwood's voice continued to fill the Plaza as the two Thorns talked.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ruby noticed an Atlesian soldier turn in their direction, stop, and grab another soldier by his shoulder, turning him around to look at Ruby and Penny.

“Time we left.” Ruby said, knocking Penny's legs out from underneath her, catching her in a princess carry, a task far harder than normal due to the metal making up the majority of Penny's body.

“Ruby?” Penny seemed rather startled, and Ruby activated her semblance, hiding the rose petal burst, rapidly leaving the soldiers behind.

After a short time, Ruby deactivated her semblance, and swung Penny back into a standing position.

“Sorry about that. Two of the soldiers… Noticed us.” She explained.

“No need to say sorry…” Penny trailed off, looking down at the ground between the two.

“What's wrong?” Ruby asked her, stepping forward.

“I…” Penny suddenly hugged Ruby tightly. “You don't think any less of me because I'm…” The robot girl trailed off. 

Ruby gently laughed. “Why would I? Penny, there's a reason that to me, you're Lady Marionette.”

“Thank you.” Penny smiled.

Ruby's faunus hearing caught booted footsteps.

“The soldiers are almost here.” Ruby said, and affectionately head-butted Penny's shoulder. “I've got to go.”

“Then go. I'll be fine.” Penny assured her.

Ruby activated her semblance, and launched herself up to a rooftop, before crouching on the edge, looking down.

“There she is!” One of the Atlesians yelled as he rounded the corner of the alley.

“Salutations, officers.” Penny told them.

“Why were you running? And what happened to the other girl?” One of them demanded.

“There was no other girl.” Penny told them. Unlike if she were lying to Ruby or another Thorn, she didn't hiccup.

“Penny, you shouldn't be wandering around on your own. Please come with us.” The other soldier said, kicking the back of his compatriot’s leg.

“Yes, sir!” Penny said, saluted, and walked away.

…

…

“Freezer Burn!” Ashes commanded. She and Shadow leapt backwards, out of the way as Weiss generated a rough circle of ice. The heiress then lept away herself, as Yang struck the center with Ember Cecilia, creating a mist. Roman activated the Paladin’s laser sights immediately, but failed to catch Shadow as she activated her semblance, slashing at the mecha's left arm.

“Everyone, target the left arm!” Ashes commanded. “Monochrome!”

Weiss and Shadow charged forward.

Weiss activated a glyph, and leapt onto it to stab one of the mecha's sensors, destroying it.

Shadow ducked under the mecha’s foot as Roman tried to stomp on her, and missed. Roman stomped the Paladin’s other foot in annoyance, and swing the mecha’s right arm around to target her.

Weiss generated another glyph, launching Shadow in the air to disable another sensor.

“If we slow it down, I can disable it!” Shadow yelled.

“Ice Flower!” Ashes commanded, and smashed Crescent Rose’s blade into the ground, leaving the rifle section pointed at the Paladin.

Weiss brought up Myrtenaster, and created smaller-than-normal copies of her glyphs in front of Crescent Rose’s muzzle.

Ashes fired several shots, each one impacting one of the Paladin’s joints, the rounds detonating into shards of ice, which recoalesced around the paladin’s legs, freezing it in place.

“Bumblebee!” She commanded. Yang and Shadow immediately charged Roman’s Paladin mech.

Their attack was rapidly cut short when Roman swung the Paladin’s fist into Yang, sending her flying. She crashed through one of the pillars, only to be struck by a barrage of gun rounds from the Mecha.

_ YANG! _

Ashes growled at Roman, a low, feral noise, then activated her semblance and shot to her sister’s side, who was slowly returning to her feet. The Paladin, having broken out of the ice, followed her, raising its arm for another hammer blow.

As the mecha swung its arm down, and Ashes assumed a blocking position, Yang stood fully, and swing a burning fist into the mecha’s own arm, shattering it.

Yang growled in much the same way as her sister, and shot forward, angrily roaring.

“Yang!” Weiss almost-screamed.

“Don’t worry!” Ashes called to the heiress. “Her semblance allows her to channel the damage done to her back into her blows! The more injured she is, the more powerful she becomes!”

Yang again struck the Paladin, ripping the arm apart at the elbow, tearing off the metal.

_ Time to finish this! _

“Ladybug!” Ashes commanded, and she and Shadow surged toward the damaged mecha. Both targeted the same leg, slashing in the hip joint, damaging it. Shadow activated her semblance, creating shadowed copies that attacked alongside her, creating a jagged gash in the armor. Ashes took full advantage of this, activating her semblance, and launching herself past the Paladin, Crescent Rose biting through the metal, severing the leg.

The Paladin crashed to the ground, and Roman leapt from the destroyed mecha.

“Just got this thing cleaned…” He complained, brushing himself off. 

“Well, ladies, it's been a pleasure.” He greeted the team, his gaze lingering on Ashes and Shadow.

Yang fired off a round from Ember Cecilia, only for the shoot to be abruptly blocked by a pink parasol.

“Hello again, Neopolitian.” Ashes said, as the diminutive assassin appeared from nowhere. Neo happily waved at her.

“Stand down.” Ashes told her team.

“Wait, what? Why!” Weiss demanded.

“Know when to fold, Weiss.” 

“Just who are you, Red?” Roman asked Ashes, slowly walking backwards.

“Neo's commanding officer.” Shadow told him, walking to Ashes’ side. “Mine as well.”

Roman’s eyes went wide.

“Get out of here, Torchwick. We'll discuss this later… Along with your… Activities of late.” Ashes coldly told him.

“Wait, what did I do wrong?” He asked, still walking backwards, his hands up in front of him. Ashes faintly heard a Bullhead VTOL in the distance, slowly growing louder.

Ashes simply looked at him, and a look of dawning realization swept over his face as he looked at her team.

_ You're smart, Torchwick. You can put two and two together. _

Ashes nodded at Neo. 

“Ensure he stays put when you return.” She turned to Roman again. “Don't think I'll let this go lightly.” 

Ashes turned back to her team.

“Let's go.”

…

…

“We had him! We had him!” Weiss yelled at Ashes. 

“And he's not the one in charge. Even I'm not, and you should have figured out by now they I'm not exactly a foot soldier.”

“Just how high ranked are you?” Yang quietly interrupted, from her seat on her bunk.

Ashes, Shadow, and Weiss all turned to look at her.

“Rather.” Shadow responded for Ashes.

“Define rather.”

“High enough that most of the White Fang would listen and obey me if I attended one of those meetings… And Blake is my direct subordinate."

Yang simply looked at her.

“Then are you…” She trailed off.

“Yes, I knew about the Dust robberies. I am not, however, the one who ordered them. That would be a woman named Cinder Fall. I dare not tell you more.” Ashes told her sister, walking over to the chest of drawers by the window, and staring out into the night sky. “Doing so would make you a target for someone even I dare not go blade-to-blade with, and her mistress, even more powerful. Suffice to say that Cinder, on her own, slaughtered an entire camp in seconds. She is very powerful, and very dangerous.”

“Why are you telling us, then?” Weiss asked.

Ashes sighed.

“You deserve to know. That, at least.”

“That aside, what are we going to do about the base in the southeast?” Yang asked.

“It's in one of the old train stops in Mountain Glen, if I remember correctly.” Shadow said.

Ashes’ scroll rang. She glanced down at it, checking the caller ID.

“Speak of the devil, and she'll call you.”

Ashes answered the call.

“Yes, Fall?”

…

…

[End Chapter 19]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please let me know how you think this was!  
> ...  
> ...  
> (And if someone wants to start a Tvtropes page, I'd really appreciate it. I just feel that doing so myself is egotistical.)


	20. You Have No Idea What You're In For, Do You?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long!  
> Please Enjoy!

“I understand.”

“Good. I will check again in a short time. Be prepared.”

“My team doesn’t know about you, or my allegiance, but I think that they’re beginning to suspect something.”

“Do everything you can to throw them off. We’re close. Don’t screw this up.”

“Close to what?”

“You’ll see.”

The call disconnected.

“Well, that’s reassuring.”

Four people stared down at the scroll.

“Guess we just have to wait.”

...

...

“And that's the match.” Glynda told the class, as Cardin Winchester collapsed into the floor of the arena.

“Lucky shot.” He grumbled as he fell.

“Well done, Miss Nikos. You should have no problem qualifying for the tournament.” The professor continued, ignoring Cardin.

“Thank you, professor.” Pyrrha responded, giving a slight bow. Lady Ashes smiled down at her from her seat.

Gynda tapped her scroll and looked up at the assembled students.

“Alright, now I know that's a tough act to follow, but we have time for one more sparring match.” She looked up at the assembled students in the arena seats. “Any volunteers?” Glynda turned to look at Team RWBY. “Miss Belladonna?” 

Lady Shadow slammed her notebook shut, looking up/down at the professor with immensely tired eyes.  _ You need more sleep, love. You worry me. No, you need better sleep. We both do.  _ Ashes and Shadow had both been having even more nightmares than usual, and Ashes had taken to sleeping in Shadow’s bed with her, as each other’s presence seemed to be lessening both the frequency and severity. Yang and Weiss had, thankfully, decided to not comment on this.

“You've been rather docile for the past few classes. Why don't you-”

“I’ll do it.” Mercury Black stood up.

_ Why draw attention to yourself?  _ Ashes briefly wondered.  _ Ah. Your cover identity must love to fight. That must be it. _

“Mercury, is it? Well, let's find you an opponent.” Glynda looked down at her scroll, and Ashes stood up.

“I’ll do it.” She said, echoing Mercury’s statement seconds earlier. She turned to regard him as Glynda looked up.

“Ah, Miss Rose. Participating in class again, I see. Very well.” Ashes caught Glynda’s words, but was far more focused on the other assassin’s expression of arrogance slowly giving way to annoyance.

_ You have no idea what you’re in for, do you? _

…

...

Ashes rapidly mentally went through what she knew about her opponent.

_ Mercury Black. 17. Son of Marcus Black, and, like his father, an assassin. Very powerful prosthetic legs, which his fighting style is designed to take advantage of. Main weapon is a pair of shotguns built into a pair of boots, much like Ember Cecilia. A skilled combatant, mixes several martial arts to form a single, unique style that is very adaptive. Sociopathic, with little regard for others, and a sadist. However, is also very loyal to Cinder Fall. Were he more… Empathic… He’d make a decent Thorn. Given his sociopathy and sadism, however… He’s just not worth it. _

_ … _

_ … _

Ashes slammed Mercury into the ground for the third time in a row, before standing back and allowing him to stand again. Mercury was far too overzealous in battle, and had apparently not given a single thought to defense. This, Ashes was showing him, was a mistake. She dodged in between his attempts at a kick-up, and ducked under as he tried to catch her between his legs, sweeping up with her right arm and throwing him sideways.

_ This is too easy. _ Ashes considered deactivating her semblance. As it was, she’d only partially activated it, granting her increased speed and the time dilation effects, and at a much lower intensity. Whereas normally even bullets were barely moving, at the current pace, Mercury simple seemed to be walking instead of running, and every blow took a few seconds to land.

As he tried to stand again, Ashes rapidly moved to his side and kicked at his head twice, before stepping back. 

Mercury slowly flipped back to his feet, his expression pure rage. While he’d landed a few blows, Ashes had been toying with him, and he knew it.

He tried another jump-kick, but Ashes again dodged easily, and this time, drew Crescent Rose, smashing her into him as she passed. Mercury went flying, landing on the far side of the arena.

“Mercury Black’s aura is now in the red. Ruby Rose has won the match.” Glynda announced, and Ashes sheathed Crescent Rose. She walked over to help her opponent up. 

Mercury look vaguely shocked at having been beaten so soundly. Ashes finally broke her lack-of-expression to coldly smile at him as she offered her hand.

“Better luck next time…” She whispered, her voice a honey-coated malice, letting him shudder slightly at a tone identical to Cinder’s.

The bell rang as she helped him to his feet.

“That is all for today. And remember, the dance is this weekend. But you all have your first mission on Monday. I will not accept any excuses.” Glynda announced to the class. The assembled students began to file out of the arena. Glynda beckoned for Ashes to stay behind.

“If you don’t mind my asking, Miss Rose, what happened? Both you and Miss Belladonna haven’t been participating in class these last few weeks. Did something happen?” The professor quietly asked her, concern in her voice.

“It’s nothing you can assist with… It’s rather… Personal.  But, thanks.”

...

…

“That Mercury guy is part of Cinder's team, right?” Yang asked, leaning against the wall near the door. Team RWBY had gone up to the dorm roof, and had begun to discuss the day’s events.

“Yes. Mercury Black is his name. He's an accomplished assassin, just like his father. However, he has certain… weaknesses. For one, he almost never focuses on defense. That said… I don’t think that he was taking the fight seriously.” Shadow answered for Ashes. Both stood nearby, and Ashes was leaning back into an embrace from Shadow, her own hands around the cat faunus’s.

“What makes you say that?” Weiss asked.

“If it came down to an actual fight to the death between us… It would depend on who saw who first. Mercury is nigh-unstoppable in close quarters, but has little-to-no capability for ranged combat.” Ashes replied.

“And how do you know this? Not just the combat information, but about him in general.” Yang again took over the questioning.

Ashes gave a slight grin.

“This is starting to feel like an interrogation.” She observed lightly. “I considered recruiting him, once. However, with his… Sociopathy and sadism, he was deemed… Unfit.”

“That doesn’t sound good. Also, you considered recruiting a human? I thought-”

“You thought wrong.” Ashes cut Weiss off. “We do recruit humans. Or at least, my branch does. And Pyrrha? No offense meant, but you can’t sneak around worth a damn.”

“Pyrrha?” Weiss and Yang both sounded surprised, and the amazon hauled herself up onto the rooftop from the ledge below, looking very guilty.

“You could have just asked.” Shadow gently chided her.

“The offer still stands.” Ashes told her, speaking immediately after Shadow.

“What offer?” Weiss sounded confused. “And I thought you’d be more angry over someone listening in…” She trailed off. 

Ashes quietly laughed, and so did Shadow.

“Normally, yes, I would be.” The wolf Faunus said, still smiling. “But in this case… I’m not, as Pyrrha already knows. I involved her earlier.”

“How so?” Weiss asked, becoming slightly hostile.

“She tried to recruit me.” Pyrrha told the heiress. “And threatened to kill me if I told anyone.”

Both Yang and Weiss turned to look back at Ashes. Both looked somewhat shocked.

“Wha-” Yang didn’t seem to be capable of forming a coherent sentence for a few seconds. “You threatened to kill Pyrrha!?”

“Is now the time to bring up the fact that she’s an assassin?” Shadow rhetorically asked, hugging Ashes closer into her chest. Ashes felt her face heat up from the position.

Both Weiss and Yang went very quiet. Pyrrha, on the other hand, seemed slightly interested.

“I know this may be an inappropriate question, but, how many people have you killed?” The amazon queried her.  _ Well, they do deserve to know... _

Ashes shrugged.

“I have no idea. I’d guess about…” Ashes gazed off into the distance. “Between one and three hundred.” She shrugged again. “How many times have you eaten bread? Brushed your teeth? Maintained your weapon? It’s a lot like that for me. I killed for the first time when I was seven, and when I calmed down, found that I was rather good at it.”

“We both were, and Adam Taurus decided to employ us as assassins.” Shadow spoke up again. “We started off killing people who presented imminent threats to the White Fang, and eventually began to use our assassinations as political tools.” 

Both of the Thorns adopted very serious expressions.

“But make no mistake, we’ve never deliberately harmed an innocent. I was almost killed because I refused to kill… Someone who got in the way. Instead, she almost killed me.” Ashes took over from Shadow.

“Who?” Yang asked, her voice low. Ashes didn’t look at Weiss as she spoke.

“It doesn’t matter now. I’m still alive, the wound has healed, and she’s no longer a threat, as far as I am concerned.”

“Alright.” Yang grudging responded. There was still anger in her eyes, but it slowly faded.

Ashes sighed.

“Yang, please. I know you want to protect me, even knowing what you do, but please, trust me. I can take care of myself.”

“When was this?” Weiss asked quietly. Ashes glanced at her, and noticed that the heiress’s expression had become unreadable. Only a shiver in her Aura betrayed her emotions.

_ She’s afraid.  _ Ashes realized.  _ She thinks she knows who injured me. She thinks that I was that Thorn she stabbed and left to die, and she’s right. _

“A few months ago. Why?”

Weiss briefly looked terrified, before her expression dropped back into unreadability.

“Wait, is that why you came home with your chest all bloody a few weeks before school started?” Yang asked her younger sister.

Shadow shook her head.

“No, she reopened it. The wound hadn’t fully healed, and she overexerted herself enough to tear it open again.” Ashes felt Shadow lower her head and hug her even tighter. “You scared me.” The other Thorn whispered

“I’ll do my best to not scare you again, love.” Ashes quietly murmured back.

Her scroll rang.

Everyone stopped dead.

“That’s my school scroll.” Ashes commented, recognizing the differing ringtone. She flipped it off of her belt, checked the caller ID, and answered it.

“Anyone ever tell you that you’ve got both the best timing and the worst at the same time, Jaune?”

“Yeah, frequently. Did I interrupt anything important?”

“Just a conversation. What is it?” Ashes told him.

“Well, since Team CFVY is still not back yet, Professor Ozpin wants us, Teams RWBY and JNPR, to plan the Beacon Dance! I don’t know why us, but I wanted to get our teams together and have a planning meeting! Sounds awesome, right?” WIth every sentence, Jaune’s voice seemed to grow a bit brighter as she swore she could hear him bounce in excitement through the scroll.

Ashes laughed.

“Calm down, Jaune, you’re about to explode, I can hear that through the scroll. Grab Nora and Ren, and come up to the roof. My team’s all up here, and so is Pyrrha.”

“Alright, I’ll be up in a minute or so!”

“With Ren and-” The call disconnected, and Ashes glanced up.

“As always, Jaune defuses the tension without even knowing about it.”

Everyone smiled at that.

…

…

“I honestly thought you were going to tell here then and there.” Blake whispered into Ruby’s wolf ear. Both of her arms were wrapped around the smaller girl, and Ruby’s, in turn, were around the cat Faunus’s chest and back. Both lay in Blake’s bed, as the cat faunus didn’t feel like jumping into and out of Ruby’s.

Ruby snuggled closer to her girlfriend before tiredly replying.

“I thought about it, but that might lead to a fight between Yang and Weiss, and I’d have to tell them about just how high-ranked I am, and about the assassination attempt. And I’d rather not do that right now.” Ruby yawned.

“That seems wise.” Blake murmured, and yawned.

“Hmm.”

“Tired?”

“Very.” Ruby yawned, and pressed herself into Blake’s chest, pulling herself deeper under the blankets. “Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Ruby had just enough energy left to squeeze the other girl briefly.

She was asleep seconds later.

…

…

[End Chapter 20]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, three things I want to talk about:  
> 1: I've almost completed chapter 6 of Silver Eyes, so look forward to that late this week/early next week.  
> 2: I've almost finished chapter 1 of another new RWBY Fic, which should be up by mid-next week, so please look for that then!  
> 3: Please, please, please leave comments! More comments=happier author=quicker chapters, so please let me know what you think!
> 
> As always, please let me know how you think this was!


	21. I'd Call You A Murderer, But So Am I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so, so sorry this took so long! I really didn't intend for it to!  
> Please Enjoy!  
> Also, Flashback Chapter Four!

Six seconds. That was how long it took the man to fall as Ashes’ blade entered his heart. As he fell, she slid her knife out in a single smooth motion, twisting sideways to avoid a splash of blood. It wouldn't do for her to be noticed for that.

She looked down at the corpse, sheathed her knife, seized the body by the shoulders, and began to drag it out of sight, discarding it in the shadow of a dumpster as she took his wallet. Mentally, she smiled. He'd never known what had hit him. The small Faunus girl had run into the alleyway, sobbing. He'd bent down to take a look at her, a dark gleam in his eye, and she'd stabbed him in the chest with her knife. As his Aura wasn't unlocked, it had been an easy kill.

_ Revenge for what you've done. I'd call you a murderer, but so am I. The difference is I target people like you, not innocents. I don't kill based on race alone. _

The girl glanced up, and silver met gold as Shadow looked down at her from her position on the roof. Ashes smiled again, despite the fact that the cat Faunus couldn't see it, and spoke softly, knowing that Shadow could hear her.

“How are Day and Dust fairing?” She asked. Shadow had been moving from rooftop to rooftop, keeping track of the other three young White Fang operatives. The rest of Ashes’ group were either at their homes, in another kingdom, or in a ‘Fang safehouse at Vale’s docks.

“Day is bringing his second target over here. I think he broke his knife on the first one.” Shadow told her, voice muffled slightly by the black White Fang mask she wore. “Dust’s are both dead. Neo caught up with her, and helped.”

Ashes nodded. She was rather fond of the tiny psycho, and that she'd decided to show up again to help boosted her confidence. She looked down again, removed the lien from the wallet still in her hand, and threw it behind the body. While normally, she'd try to disguise a murder as a robbery, this was a targeted assassination. She thus didn't care about disguising it, but the extra lien would be useful. It wasn't much, but it was enough for her to treat her black-masked assassins to ice cream later, and that was enough.

She looked up again, and raised the lien up so Shadow could see it.

“Lien?” The other girl asked, confused.

“Enough for ice cream or something like that.” Ashes told her.

Shadow swept a pair of fingers over the section of her mask over her mouth, the gesture meaning that she was smiling. Ashes returned it, then ducked down, into the shadows of the alley as footsteps sounded. She tucked the money into a pocket, and drew her knife again.

“Are you sure this is a shortcut?” A young woman's voice asked.

“I'm sure. It's much quicker this way.” Day's voice responded, and Ashes felt an unhinged smile fall over her face. She slid her mask on.

The footsteps came closer, and shortly Day passed by her, a grin on his face. A young woman, mid-twenties, if Ashes had to guess, followed him. She stopped directly in front of Ashes, as she stepped in the slowly spreading pool of blood. She looked down.

“What… Is this… Blood?” There was worry in her voice, and her gaze slowly followed the trail into the shadow where Ashes hid.

“Yes. Yes it is.” Ashes told her, exploding out of her hiding place, driving her blade into the woman's neck.

_ May Violet, real name, May Lavender. Changed her name after a failed attempt at killing her sister. One of the organizers of the lynch mob that drove me into the White Fang.  _ Information flashed through her head as her blade plunged through flesh, warm blood running down her hands and arms.

The woman tried to scream, but only produced a gurgling noise, staring in terror at the wolf ears atop Ashes’ head, and at the black mask she wore. 

“It’s nothing you wouldn’t do to us.” Day said from behind her, and she tried to turn her head as much as the blade would allow, her eyes already growing dead, her locked Aura fading.

The last of the life faded, and Ashes rolled the corpse to the side, sliding her knife out of the body, sheathing the blade and letting the young woman fall to the ground.

Ashes and Day both looked down at the body, before Day looked up, shrugged, bent down, and began going through the woman’s pockets. After a few seconds, he stood up, a triumphant expression on his face as he held a up a card in a plastic case on a lanyard.

“Found her ID and security card. If we move fast, they may not realize she’s dead and it’s not her using it.” He said.

“Let’s get back, then.” Ashes said, and turned to the rooftop behind her, where Shadow had once again stuck her head out over the railing.

“Find the others, and tell them to head back.” She instructed her oldest friend. “We’re done here.” Shadow swept her fingers across her mask again, and disappeared.

“Question for you.” Ashes told Day. “What was with the melodramatic pronouncement?”

Day shrugged.

“Well, you weren’t giving any one-liners, so I figured I would.” He shrugged again.

“Needs some work.” She told him after a few seconds. “Come on. Let’s go.”

The two young assassins left the pair of bodies behind, Ashes removing her mask as she stepped out into the street.

…

…

“Hey, Neo.” Ashes greeted the girl, as she walked into the dis-used warehouse that now served as a White Fang safehouse. Neo hugged her in response, and Ashes gave her an affectionate headbutt. 

Day followed her in, clapping Neo on the shoulder in greeting, before he, Ashes, and Neo were swept up into a group hug by Shadow and Adam.

“Welcome back!” Adam happily told Ashes, releasing the group hug to hug just his surrogate sister. She headbutted his shoulder, and he returned it with a laugh.

“Hey, Adam.” She said as he let go, before she turned and hugged Shadow.

“So, where's Dust?” Ashes asked a few seconds and another affectionate headbutt later, as she let go of Shadow. 

Neo tapped her on the shoulder, and handed her a note.

_ (Ashes, sorry I couldn't drop by, but someone was following me, and I didn't want to just lead them back to the safehouse. I'm writing this out so Neo can give it to you, and after that, I’m going to ground. I’ll get in contact with you in a week, as per usual. _

_ Some advice: Watch your back. I don’t know who it was, but they knew exactly where I’d be. I lost them twice, and both times they were waiting for me later on.) _

Ashes quietly cursed.  _ This is bad. _

“What?” Shadow asked her, and Adam paused midway through a doorway. Ashes handed her the note. Shadow rapidly scanned it, her expression darkening as she did so. Adam approached, and read over her shoulder.

Adam and Shadow both quietly cursed, as well, and looked up at her.

“So, what do we do now?” Shadow asked.

“For now, nothing. I was paying very close attention as I returned, and there was no one following Day and I. Did you see anything?” Ashes asked.

“Well, no…” Shadow trailed off as her gaze became distant, the cat faunus becoming lost in thought. She snapped out of it a few seconds later. “No. No one was following me.” She said, her voice firm.

“Then there's nothing we can do right now.” Ashes said, firmly. “Except for waiting and watching.”

The other three nodded, Adam looking thoughtful.

“Then, if it's alright, I'm going to be going home. I don't want my family to start asking questions.” Day announced.

Ashes nodded at him, smiling. 

“It's alright. Go on home.” She and Shadow both hugged him in turn, Adam gave him a fist-bump, and the young man left.

…

…

Ashes awoke to quiet footsteps on the floor of the warehouse. She almost rolled over and dismissed it, as even with the echoes they were at the edge if her hearing, except for the fact that she heard a frantic gurgling noise, one she recognized as someone choking on their own blood.

Ashes was awake fully immediately, rolling into the stomach, sliding to the edge of the platform in the rafters of the warehouse, where she and Shadow had fallen asleep. She'd sent the others in her group home a few hours beforehand. 

Ashes and Shadow frequently occupied the platform, as even getting to it required no small amount of agility and skill. On the platform was a television set with multiple accessories, a large amount of beanbag chairs, and quite a few blankets. It was suspended by means of being bolted to a multitude of support beams holding up the warehouse roof.

As Ashes looked down, her suspicions were confirmed. One of the sentries lay on the ground, bleeding from the throat. The other’s head lay separate from his body. A man dressed in white stood there, a bloody greatsword in his left hand, a handgun in his right.

Ashes slipped away from the edge, glancing behind her. 

Shadow was crouched in the center of the platform, eyes wide.

“One below.” Ashes whispered. Shadow nodded. “We'll take him.” Shadow nodded again, and both slid out from above the platform, as the man below walked to one of the old offices, and entered.

…

…

The man's first gunshot ripped through Ashes’ right leg, knocking her down. This was the only thing that saved her from his second shot, which would have hit her right eye. Thanks to the fact that she had fallen, however, the bullet slashed through empty air.

_ Shit, this hurts!  _

Ashes snarled in pain, and launched herself sideways with her uninjured leg, rolling behind a wall.

_ He must be using Anti-Aura Rounds. _ She realized. Her Aura has been at full, and the bullet had shattered it like glass. Footsteps sounded, and she heard the man’s voice.

“Come out, little girl. I'm not in the mood to play hide and seek.”

Ashes laughed, a note of pain noticeable in her voice, but one far outweighed by scorn.

She lifted Adam’s sword, Wilt, testing it's weight. Adam was out running errands, and wouldn't be back until mid-morning.

Ashes stood, testing the injured leg. It hurt quite a bit, but she gritted her teeth and ignored it, before limping to a door a short distance away, leading back into the main warehouse floor.

She was opening it when the man came around the corner, handgun raised, and Ashes flung herself through. She was fast enough to avoid the gunfire, but not to avoid the six-foot greatsword’s blade as he threw it, the weapon scoring a massive cut across her back.

The man ran through the door seconds later, and spotted her immediately as she rolled across the floor, trying to put as much distance between herself and him as she could. He raised the gun.

Shadow slammed into him with all the force a girl of thirteen years could muster. It was just enough to throw off his aim, and the round struck the floor a few inches from Ashes’ head.

“Catch!” Ashes shouted, and threw Shadow Wilt. Shadow caught it, but it didn't help. 

The man brought the handgun around as Shadow caught the blade, and fired three shots, two into Shadow's lower chest and one into her left shoulder, before seizing her by the neck and throwing her to where Ashes lay. He followed this by picking up his blade, and throwing it again, impaling Ashes’ right shoulder.

“Nice try.” The man said, a sadistic grin on his face.

Ashes ignored it, and turned to Shadow, who lay on her side next to her.

“Well, we had a good run, didn't we?” Ashes asked, smiling through the pain.

“Yeah. We did.” Shadow smiled through her pain as well, and Ashes reached for her, taking her hand. Shadow squeezed hers as the man raised his gun.

Information and questions rapidly flashed through her mind.

_ What will Yang and Father think? What will Qrow and Raven? Will they even learn what happened?  _ These and more rapidly flashed through her mind, but all fell away as shining silver met molten gold.

Ashes felt at peace. She would die as she knew she would: alongside Shadow.

A grunt sounded, and there was a clatter of metal falling to the floor. 

…

…

Six rapid strikes. That was how many blows Neo took to kill the man.

The young assassin had spent most of the man’s rampage quietly following him around, waiting for an opening. When she had seen Ashes and Shadow at his mercy, she’d struck. He'd been dead in seconds. Ice had discovered that her father had paid the man to assassinate the leaders of the White Fang.

That was the good news.

The bad news was that he has succeeded. Adam was the  highest-ranking surviving member of the ‘Fang. All six sentries were dead, and Shadow had barely survived her gunshot wounds.

Ashes sat on the edge of Shadow's hospital bed, the light haze of painkillers making digesting the information far easier.

“So, what do we do now?” She asked Adam. He sat in a chair next to the bed.

“We militarize. This attack shows that we can't rely on peaceful tactics mixed with the occasional assassination.” He looked up. “I want to expand your team. More information gathering, and more assassinations. Actually, even more than that. If you'll allow it, I want to turn your small group into the equivalent of a special-forces unit.”

“What do you think?” Ashes asked, turning to Shadow. Shadow turned her head to look at Ashes.

“We need a name…” She said, spacing out a bit. Ashes didn't blame her. Shadow was on quite a bit of painkillers.

“A name?” Adam asked, confused.

“How about Thorns?” Shadow queried. “Every Rose has its Thorns.” She continued, then pointed to Ashes. “Your civvie name’s Ruby Rose.” She then pointed to Adam. “And your emblem's a rose.” She let her hand fall back onto the bed.

Ashes nodded, slowly.

“I like it. Thorns…” Ashes trailed off, and smiled.

…

…

{End Chapter 21}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'm really sorry about how long this took!  
> Also, I'm going to try for a new chapter of one of my three fics every week, as the very least, and hopefully quicker than that.  
> As always, please let me know how you think this was!


	22. Doilies?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long!  
> Please Enjoy!

“I need you to pick a tablecloth.” Weiss announced, before sliding a pair of nearly identical squares of cloth in front of Ruby, who briefly raised her head out of her arms, crossed over the tabletop. 

“They're about the same, Weiss.” She replied, before putting her head down in her arms again, tilting her head so that her hat didn't fall off.

Ruby was tired, angry, and slightly depressed.

For one thing, Yang wasn't speaking with her. It had apparently taken several hours, but once the blonde brawler had mentally processed the fact that her sister and her sister's girlfriend were assassins, she hadn't said a word to her or Blake, only regarding the two with fear, suspicion, and more than a little pain.

Add to that a call to Roman that had confirmed that he was working under Cinder's orders, and a lack of sleep, and Ruby was not feeling well at all.

“I don't even know why I asked.” Weiss grumbled, pulling the two cloth samples back. 

Unlike Yang, Weiss had taken the revelations remarkably well. While she did seem somewhat scared, she wasn't letting her fear affect her interactions with her teammates. For this, Ruby was grateful to the heiress, though she didn't understand why Weiss was behaving in such a way.

“I don’t know why you did, either.” Yang muttered from across the room. Ruby didn’t even have the energy to raise her head and glare at her sister, nor did she particularly care.

“Weiss! I thought we agreed, no doilies!” Yang called next, sounding vaguely annoyed.

_ Doilies?  _ Ruby didn't understand what doilies had to do with anything, and fully gave up trying to follow the conversation, instead just listening without trying to interpret.   
“If I don't get doilies, you don't get fog machines!” Weiss called back to her, as the doors to the hall opened.

“Your dance is gonna have fog machines?” Neptune asked, his footsteps echoing around the hall, along with someone else’s. She didn't have to look up to know that it was Sun.

“We were thinking about it…” Weiss’s voice trailed off, and her tone had changed to one far more seductive than usual.

_ He’s not interested, Weiss.  _

“That's pretty cool.” Neptune commented.

“You ladies all excited for dress-up?” Sun asked. “You gonna wear that suit again, Ruby?” At this, Ruby tiredly raised her head, a slightly amused expression on her face.

“Sun, I’ve never worn a dress to a fancy event. Why would I change that now?” She said.

“Yeah, true.” He conceded the point, and Ruby’s head went back down into her arms.

“So, what are you two wearing?”

Weiss asked.

“Uuhhh... this?” Sun responded, and Ruby tilted her head so she could see over the tops of her arms. Sun was gesturing to his current outfit.

“Ignore him, for he knows not what he says.” Neptune said, stepping in front of him and holding a hand in front of his face. Sun quickly knocked it away.

“Hey, I may have moved to Mistral, but I grew up in Vacuo. It's not exactly a shirt-and-tie kind of place.” He responded to his boyfriend’s comment.

“Yeah, we noticed.” Yang spoke up.

“Soooo… Uh… What happened? Ruby, you seem kinda depressed, Weiss you seem kinda angry, and Yang, you seem furious, but also kinda scared. What's up?” Sun wanted to know.

“It's a long story, Sun. I'll tell you and Neptune another time.” Ruby told him, tilting her head in Yang's direction.

Sun nodded, his expression fading slightly as he realized why Ruby didn't want to talk about it then and there.

She sighed, and stood up, stretching as she did so. “I'm going to go find Blake.” She announced.

“See you.” Neptune said.

“Later.” This from Sun.

Ruby nodded, and began to leave the hall.

“Ruby? Can I talk to you for a bit, first? Elsewhere?” Weiss queried.

Ruby stopped halfway through the door.

“What about?” She asked.

“I think you know.”

Ruby sighed.  _ Yes, I do. _

“Come with me.”

…

…

“So, what was it you wanted to talk about?” Ruby asked. Weiss had led her back to their dorm room, and Ruby now sat atop her bed, hat and headphones beside her, while Weiss paced in the center of the room.

“I'll get right to the point. You said that you're an assassin-”

“If you're asking if I'm here to kill you, the answer’s no. I'm not here to kill anyone.”  Ruby interrupted Weiss.

“I know. You've had plenty of opportunities, such as during initiation. You could have killed me and left me in the forest, and no one would have known. But you didn't. There's been plenty more opportunities since then, that's just the first one you had. So, no, that's not been a concern of mine.” Weiss responded.

“Then what is it?”

“You're an assassin, most of the White Fang would listen to you, and your branch recruits humans…” Weiss trailed off, took a deep breath, and turned to face Ruby, looking up at her. “Ruby Rose, are you a Thorn?”

Ruby didn't hesitate. She'd been half-expecting that question since Weiss had learned about her allegiance.

“Yes. Yes I am. I'm a Lady, in fact.”

Weiss blinked in surprise.

“I can't say I expected that.” She remarked. “A Lady?”

“Yes.”

“Then…” Weiss trailed off, looking down. “Do you know…” 

“Do I know what?” Ruby queried.

“Do you know who I killed?” 

Ruby blinked in surprise, and Weiss seemed to take it as a condemnation of some sort, as she hung her head, turned, and walked to the window, before leaning on the chest of drawers and staring out over the Beacon Courtyard.

_ I wasn't expecting that… _

She shifted.

“Why do you ask?”

“I'm sorry. I just…”

“You wanted to know if I hate you for it?” Ashes asked the heiress.

Weiss didn't speak for several seconds. Not did she look over at Ashes.

The Thorn quietly undid the front of her outfit, pulling the fabric to the side, just enough to reveal the scar between her breasts.

Ashes lightly slipped off of her bed, and walked up behind the heiress.

“Weiss, do you remember what I told you after the Beowulves on initiation day?”

“Yes, why?” Weiss turned around, puzzlement on her face. She turned pale as her gaze fell over the scar on her partner’s chest.

“You'll have to try a lot harder than that.” Ashes told her, smiling faintly.

“Ruby…” Weiss's voice trailed off.

“Yes?” Ashes asked, a faint smile still on her face. Weiss raised her gaze to lock eyes with her.

“Who are you, really?”

Ashes sighed, and turned away.

“Do you really want to know the answer to that question, Weiss?” She walked away from the heiress for a few feet, then turned back. “That's not information I give out lightly, and I will be quite honest with you here, that knowledge is dangerous. And even if I told you, what would you do with it?”

“I don't know.” The heiress admitted. “Most likely, nothing.”

“What do you mean?” The Thorn asked.

“Can I tell you a secret?” Weiss asked her, then went on without waiting for an answer. “About a year ago, my sister went missing for a while. Now, she was on leave from the military, so that wasn't a problem, but she didn't come home until the day before she had to go back. She'd never done that before, and I was more than slightly curious. Curious enough, in fact, to go through her things when she wasn't looking. I found a black mask, a very ornate one, mimicking a Grimm. I knew what it meant, and I got scared. I put everything back the way it was, and practically ran out of her room. Initially, the reason I never told anyone was because I was scared. Then, the assassination attempt on my father and I…” Weiss paused for a few seconds before continuing. “I began to do some more research, and I found that the Thorns weren't what I had been told, that you weren't what I had learned originally. So I began to keep my sister's secret out of respect, both to her, and to, as I thought at the time, the girl I’d killed. But…”

“I was that girl. And you almost did kill me.” Ashes told her, still faintly smiling. “I spent nine days in the hospital, and months recovering. I'd barely healed before I came to Beacon.” She sighed. “If you really want to know…”

She turned, walking back to the foot of her bed, before jumping up and retrieving a few items from a black duffle bag on the edge facing the wall. Then she jumped down and slid her mask into place, slinging her black jacket on over her clothing.

Weiss's eyes went wide.

“Ruby? You're…”

“When we fought, the lighting was too dim for you to see details, so I'm not surprised that you didn't know.” Ashes told her, no longer using the same voice she used as Ruby, but instead her deeper, natural voice.

Weiss blinked once, then her face formed a blank mask.

“Lady Ashes. The leader of the Thorns.” The heiress's voice was carefully under control, but surprise still leaked through. “I can't say that's who I expected you to be.”

Ashes removed her mask, grinning.

“Most don't. And blame Blake for the name. When we met, I was covered in ashes. When we took different names, I took the name Ashes in homage to that. When we formed the Thorns, I added the Lady to my name.”

“I'm not surprised that Blake had a hand in your name.” Weiss smiled for the first time that day, a thin smile, but a smile nonetheless.

The door opened behind Ashes, and as Ashes turned around, rapidly removing her jacket and mask, Lady Shadow walked into the dorm room.

“What is it?” Ashes asked, catching the look on her Thorn’s face. Shadow glanced at Weiss, and Ashes turned to the heiress.

“Weiss, can you leave us for a bit?”

Weiss nodded, and left the room, apparently understanding the expression on Shadow's face.

The other Thorn refocused on Ashes.

“Sienna Khan’s ordered Adam back to Mistral. In addition, she's ordered that we be cut off from the rest of the White Fang in preparation for some operation. My informant couldn't give me a narrow time frame, all he knows is that whatever it is will happen during the Vytal Festival, and that it has something to do with our camp in Mountain Glenn.” She reported. “I've also learned that there are plans to sabotage the tournament, and these involve the CCT.”

Ashes closed her eyes and sighed. 

“Any good news?” She asked.

“Well… No.”

“Figures.” Ashes sighed again.

“What do we do?” Shadow asked her girlfriend, who opened her eyes again at the question.

“Not very much tonight.” Ashes decided. “Tonight is the Beacon dance, after all.”

“And our absences would be noticed.” Shadow completed the thought.

“Exactly.” Ashes smiled at the cat Faunus. “Though, we don't have to be there the entire night… Do you think that maybe Cinder's team might have a hand in the tournament sabotage?”  _ I'm sure of it, but I want a second opinion. _

As she spoke, Ashes turned around, and leaned on the chest of drawers, staring out of the window.

“Undoubtedly. And they'll probably strike tonight. After all, there won't be any students around the CCT tonight, only the atlesians General Ironwood had pull guard duty.”

“Then tonight, after the dance gets going, we’ll sneak out and keep an eye on things.” Ashes heard Shadow cross most of the room. “So, have you thought about what you're going to wear?”

“I was thinking about a suit of some kind, rather than a dress. It's hard to fight in most dresses, after all.” Shadow responded, as Ashes heard her step even closer forward.

“And I think you'd look good in a suit.” Ashes straightened up, turned, and put her hands on her girlfriend's hips as Shadow put her’s on the wolf Faunus's shoulders.

Both leaned into the other, and kissed.

…

…

{End Chapter 22}

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please let me know how you think this was!


	23. No Doubt Looking Forward To Seeing That.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not dead, and neither are my fics! YAY!  
> I'd like to apologize for the year-long hiatus, a lot of things happend, and I don't want to go into too much detail. Rest assured, I am not abandoning any of my ongoing fics, and actually have a few new ones in progress for different (Non-RWBY) fandoms that should go up on here at some point. Updates on all of this will be in the bottom AN!
> 
> As always, please enjoy! (Sorry this chapter's a very short!)

“So, you did wear that suit after all.” Was the first thing Lord Sun said as he turned to the sound of Lady Ashes’ and Lady Shadow’s footsteps. “Now I'm definitely feeling underdressed.”

“I told you this morning, I've never worn a dress to a formal event.” Ashes smiled at her Lord. “And yes, you are.”

She had dressed in a three piece suit, with a black undershirt and coat, a dark red vest and silver tie. Black pants, dark glasses, and dress shoes the same color completed the ensemble, the hat covering her wolf ears the only link to her regular clothing, aside from the color scheme.

Shadow, who had linked arms with her, Shadow's left to her right, was dressed much the same, only swapping the colors; a deep purple vest and tie instead of red and silver. Her normal ribbon was concealed under a hat of identical make to Ashes’.

What was not visible in their outfits, however, was that thin, flexible armor plates had been woven beneath the layers of fabric on their vests, shirts, coats, and the legs of their pants. In addition, both Ashes and Shadow had concealed knives, with Ashes taking advantage of the roominess of the coat to conceal a small handgun underneath.

Sun, on the other hand, had simply buttoned up his shirt, and added a tie. Neptune, who was lurking behind Sun, had put on what seemed to be a halfway between a tuxedo and the male student uniform of Beacon. Neither of them seemed to be concealing weapons. As expected.

“At least Neptune bothered to put on something formal.” Shadow snarked, before putting her other hand on Ashes’ arm as well. “Let's go.”

“Catch you later!” Sun called after them as they walked away.

They paused briefly at the doors to the ballroom.

“Mission clock’s ticking.” Ashes whispered, quoting the phrase Lady Ice used to designate the beginning of any combat or short-term infiltration operation the Thorns undertook.

“Then what are we waiting for?” Shadow whispered back, before leaning down to give Ashes a very brief kiss. The moment she straightened up, Ashes brought the hand her girlfriend hadn't claimed up, and pushed open the doors. The two strode on through, into the Beacon Dance.

As the dance was almost in full swing, they attracted little attention, allowing them to slip over to where Shadow had spotted Weiss and Yang.

As the two neared their partners, Weiss noticed them, raising her hand and beckoning Ashes and Shadow over to her and Yang, who turned around to look at what had caught the heiress's attention.

At the sight of Ashes and Shadow, however, she promptly turned, and walked away.

Ashes felt a pang of sadness at her sister's action. She had hoped for at least a chance of reconciliation. Despite that, however, she understood why Yang would try to stay as far away from her sister as she could. After all, Yang's world where it had related to Ashes had been collapsed down around her steadily over the last few months.

First Yang had learned that her little sister was a member of a terrorist group. Then she'd learned that not only was her sister a terrorist, but she was high ranking enough that Roman Torchwick, a near-anarchist, would follow her orders. Finally, the blonde brawler had found out that her darling little sister was an assassin with over a hundred kills, and had been one since she was seven. With all of that, Ashes really didn't blame Yang for avoiding her as she tried to figure out what to do about everything she'd learned.

“Weiss.” Ashes greeted the heiress as she and Shadow neared her, running an inquisitive eye over her simple white dress. No weapons, or armor.

“Ruby, Blake.” Weiss nodded at the pair of faunus. “I apologize about…” With her hand that was not currently occupied by a plastic glass of punch, she gestured in the direction Yang had left in.

“Not your fault.” Ashes sighed.

“I think she's still coming to terms with everything.” Shadow contributed her thoughts in appropriately vague language, fitting the circumstances.

“Still… I apologize. I’ve been trying to convince her to at least talk to you, but…”

“It isn't your fault.” Ashes clasped Weiss on the shoulder with her free hand.

The heiress smiled at her, as Ashes caught the sound of footsteps behind her. She turned, Shadow turning with her, and nodded a greeting as she saw who it was.

“Pyrrha. Here alone, I see.” Ashes said with a smile. “I take it that means Jaune's in a dress, as per your little bet?”

“Wait, what?” Weiss asked from behind her and Shadow.

“He told you about that?”

“Yes, he did. And he never did think he'd have to follow through.” Ashes confided with an amused smile.

“I see.” Pyrrha grinned as well. _No doubt looking forward to seeing that._

“Where's Yang?” Pyrrha changed the topic as she looked around. “Why isn't she with the three of you?”

Ashes winced mentally.

“She's having a harder time dealing with… My…” Ashes trailed off, unwilling to say more in such a public space, occupied by so many people.

“Ah.” Pyrrha looked slightly guilty for bringing up the topic. “Sorry.”

“No need to apologize. It’s not your fault.” Ashes told her.

“Sorry.” Pyrrha apologized yet again. _Why does she apologize so much?_

Shadow suddenly gave a slight tug on Ashes’ arm. As she turned to look at her girlfriend, she noticed a pair of figures on the balcony facing the quartet.  
Mercury and Emerald, with Cinder nowhere to be seen.

As Ashes turned back to Pyrrha and Weiss, however, she noticed a figure on the rooftop outside, barely visible through the massive set of double doors leading outside.

“Excuse us, Weiss, Pyrrha, but something just came up.” Ashes said, placing a hand on Shadow’s arm, and beginning to lead her outside.

As the two exited the hall, and the sounds began to subside, the figure vanished in the direction of the CCT. Ashes withdrew her scroll from her suit jacket, and dialed Lady Dust.

“My Lady?” Dust’s voice was quiet, as always. She’d only raised her voice once, as far as Ashes knew, and usually spoke at barely above a whisper.

“We have an infiltrator. Most likely the False Maiden. Heading towards the CCT. Rendezvous inside the CCT.” Ashes informed her, moving quickly, drawing her sidearm as she did so. Glancing back, she saw that Shadow had drawn both of the knives she carried.

“Understood. I’ll be there in a few minutes.” With that, Lady Dust cut the connection.

It took less than a minute for Lady Ashes and Shadow to arrive at the nearest entrance to the Vale Cross-Continental Transmit System Tower. They arrived just in time to watch a woman dressed in a tight black suit disappear into the CCT.

“Cinder.” Ashes murmured.

“Undoubtedly.” Came the response from Shadow. Ashes glanced at her, a thin smile on her face.

“How much do you want to bet that this has to do with the computer virus she commissioned a few months ago from Lord Steel?” Ashes whispered as the two slipped into the shadows around the base of the CCT.

“I don’t.” Shadow whispered back, before stopping as the two came to the entrance of the tower. “Look.” She tilted her head towards the bushes on the other side of the pathway.

An armored hand protruded slightly from the shrubbery, as if someone had decided to nap within, leaving a hand out as a sort of ‘don’t step on me!’ sign.  _Or was rendered unconscious and thrown within._

“Well, at least we know where the guards went.” Ashes noted, before sliding to the side of the door, and peeking around the edge, making certain that she was still in the shadows.

The ground floor, which could be seen in its entirety through the glass, was completely empty, no sign of anyone General Ironwood may have posted as a guard, nor of the False Maiden the two were following.

“Clear.” With that, Ashes and Shadow slipped into the building, as, on the other side of the tower, someone else did the same, and uncharacteristically feral grin on her face, a submachine gun in each hand, one more slung over her back, clashing a bit with the cocktail dress she wore.

“Lady Dust.” Ashes acknowledged the rabbit faunus with a nod.

“My Lady, Shadow.” Velvet Scarlatina, known to the other Thorns as Lady Dust, returned the nod, her slasher smile still in place.

[End Chapter]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, we get to a bit more Canon Divergence! And, let's be honest, you all knew Dust was Velvet.  
> Anyway, here's a status update on all of my main works:  
> RWBY FANWORKS  
> A Rose's Thorns: Plotted out to the beginning of Volume 5.  
> Death Has Silver Eyes: Plotted out to the beginning of Volume 5.  
> Bloody Ties And Lucky Colors: Undergoing immense rewrite (As in, I'm keeping the characters and the basic plot concepts only), and needs a new name. Feel free to suggest names based on souls, blood, and/or roses! (All three are motifs within the story.)  
> Familiar of Zero  
> Flames of the Void: A FoZ/Fate crossover. Louise ends up summoning Avenger-class Servant Jeanne D'Arc (Alter)... Into herself as a flawed vessel, and at the age of 12. Needless to say, It's rather AU. Currently plotted up to the Battle of Tarbles.  
> A currently untitled FoZ fic involving an AU Louise and Henrietta ending up in the Canon Timeline via being summoned by Canon Louise. Features a lot of Magitech and explosions. Currently plotted up to the expedition to Albion.  
> Nasuverse  
> A currently untitled Novelization of Fate/Grand Order that turns into a bit of an AU rather early on. The Moon Cell is involved. Plotted out up to the end of Okeanos.  
> Other  
> An original Science fiction novel that I hope to publish someday. Currently about 400 pages out of a probable 1200+. Needs editing badly, and will most likely not be finished any time soon.


	24. THIS FIC ISN'T DEAD!

Hello, Again, everyone!

I know, It's been a while, and I'm very sorry this isn't a proper chapter update, but I did feel the need to post an update/announcement here.

That being, Don't worry, this fic isn't dead, and neither are any of my others!

Everything will eventually be updated and continued, part of the reason that, despite my return to writing lately, none of my other fics have been updated is simple: they are undergoing re-writes. The plots will remain the same, the characters will remain as they are, so don't worry about any of that. What is being changed are typos are being fixed, plot holes are being filled, and chapters are being rewritten as I (would like to think I) have improved as a writer since I started these works.

I don't yet have a date on any of the re-written chapters replacing the old ones, but hopefully that should begin within the next month or so.

There is a second reason for the lack of updates, however: In November, I went back to school, and this has proved to be a bit of a drain on me, so my general schedule seems to now be a chapter for fanfics every 2-3 weeks, so it may be a while before the re-writes are finished and I replace old chapters with the new ones. Sorry!

 

That's all I've got for now, beyond an update on all in-progress fics:

A Rose's Thorns: Re-write in progress

Death Has Silver Eyes: Will begin rewriting soon

Bloody Ties and Lucky Colors: Became Victory Is In A Simple Soul

Victory Is In A Simple Soul: In progress, chapter 2 nearly finished

Revenant: In Progress, Chapter 2/4 nearly finished, should be up within a day or two

Flames of the Void: In progress, Chapter 3 halfway finished

Unnamed Code Geass Fic: Characters, Designs, concepts and plot finished, along with half of chapter one... Now it needs a title.

 

Again, Sorry it's been so long and this still isn't a proper update!

**Author's Note:**

> Chapters are roughly going to follow the episodes. For the chapters adapted from canon, at least.  
> Please, please, please leave comments! More comments=happier author=quicker chapters, so please let me know what you think!


End file.
